
.0 



.5 -r^ 



o 0' 



o 





1 -7 



TOUR 



THROUGH 

SICILY AND MALTA. 

IN A 

SERIES OF LETTERS 

TO 

WILLIAM BECKFORD, Esq. 

OF SOMERLY IN SUFFOLK^ 
FROM 

P^^ BRYDONE, F.R.S, 



A NEW EDITION". 



LONDON: 

PRINTED FOR T- CADELL AND DAVIES, 
IN THE STRAND. 

1806. 



\ 



Strahan and Prefton, 
Print«rs-Street, Londo^i» 



ADVERTISEMENT. 

TTAD there been any book 5n our language 
on the fubjed: of the following Letters, 
they never fhould have feen the light. The 
Author wrote them for the amufement of his 
friends, and as an affiftance to his memory ; and 
if it win in any degree apologize for their im- 
perfedions, he can with truth declare that they 
never were intended for publication : nor in- 
deed was that idea fuggefted to him, till long 
after they were written. One principal motive 
fie will own, was the defire of giving to the 
world, and perhaps of tranfmitting to pofterity, 
a monument of his friendlhip with the gentle- 
man to who^m they are addreffed. 

When Mr. Forfter's tranflation of Baron 
Reidefel's book firft appeared, thefe Letters 
- were already in the prefs, and the Author ap- 
prehended an anticipation of his fubjed: ; how- 
ever, on perufal he had the fatisfadion to find, 
that the two works did not much interfere. 



In tranfcribing them for the prefs, he found 
A 2 it 



iv ADVERTISEMENT. 

it neceffary both to retrench and to amplify ; 
by which the eafe of the epifliolary ftyle has 
probably fufFered, and fome of the letters have 
been extended much beyond their original 
length. 

He now prefents them to the Public with the 
greateft diffidence 5 hoping that fome allowance 
will be made for the very inconvenient circum- 
ftances, little favourable to order or precifion, 
in which fome of them were written : But he 
would not venture to new- model them ; appre- 
hending, that what they might gain in form and 
expreffion, they would probably lofe in eafe and 
fmiplicity 5 and well knowing that the original 
impreffions are better defcribed at the moment 
they are felt, than from the moft exad recol» 
ledion. 



CONTENTS. 



LETTER r. p. I. 

I MATE of NapIes-^Compared with that of 
Ro?ne. — Sirocc wind — Antidote againji its effe^s^ 
^Coaji of Baia, &c. 

LETTER n. p- 9. 

Voyage from Naples to Mejfina. — Bay of Naples, — 
Lipari iflands. — Strombolo, — Scylla. — Calabria^ &c, 

LETTER IIL p. 28. 

Harbour of MeJJlna. — Charybdis, --'Galleys. — Vifit to a 
convent, — Feq/i of St, Francis,^ Advantages of Mef 
fina for valetudinarians, 

LETTER IV. p. 39. 

Sicilian banditti, — A famous diver, — Charybdis,--^ 
Feq/i of the Vara, — Singular phcenomenon. 



IJIT- 



vi CONTENTS. 

LETTER V. p. 53, 

Journey to Taurominunu-- Coajl of Sicily, --Nebrodes^— 
Theatre of Taurominum,- — Naumachia, — Refervoirs^ 
he. 

LETTER VL p. 59. 

Journey to Jaci — Mount JEtna — Piedmonte-— Small 
volcanos. — Torrent of boiling water, — Great chefnut 
trees.— ^ Age of the lava. — River of Acis* 

. LETTER VIL p. 72. 

Journey from Jaci to Catania.-^Coaft formed of lava. 
—Conflid betwixt the fire and water. — Harbour of 
lava.— St, Agatha^ s veil— Its power over Mount 
JEtna. — 'Great antiquity of the eruptions of this 
mountain. 

LETTER VIIL p. 76. 

Prince of Bifcaris — His mufeum.— Convent of Bene^ 
diSlines.'^Lava run over the walls of Catania^ — 
Antiquity of this city. — Revenue of the bifhop raifed 
from the fale of the fnow of JEtna. — Earthquake 
16^'^.'— Antiquities. — Elephant of lava,— Heathen 
temple converted into a church. — F^efemblance of the 
Catholic to the Pagan rites.— Saints dif graced, — 
Devotion of the Catholics, — Preparations for afcend- 
ing Mount Mtna. 

LETTER IX. p. 89. 

Journey up Mount JEtna. — Three regions of the moun^, 
tain* Common progrefs of an eruption. — Lejfer 

mountains 



CONTENTS. 



vii 



mdiintalns formed on JEtna. — Difference of JEtna and 
Vefuvius, — Fate of the country near Hybia, — Mont^ 
pelieru — Celebrated flatues covered by the lava,-^ 
Eruption of 1669. — Dreadful effects of the lava,— 
Singular fate of a vineyard,-— Mouth fro?n whence 
this eruption iffued, — A cavern,-— ^J¥ild?2efs of the 
inhabitants of Mtna. — Converfation with them,— La 
Regione Sylvofa, — La Spelonca dal Capriole,— View 
if the fetting fun,—Fafs the night in a cavern, — 
Eruption of ijGG.-^Lava not yet cold-— Its vafl 
depth, 

LETTER X. p. 104. 

Continuation of the journey up Mount JEtna- — Diffculties 
attending it. — Torre del Filofofo. — Diffindnefs of vi* 
fion> — Conical mountain, — Summit of JEtna, — Fro-- 
fpeSi from it, —^Regions of the mountain,— -Crater,— 
Refledions ,-—Defcent from JEtna, 

LETTER XL p. 120. 

Menfuration of heights by the barometer — 'Not reduced 
to a certainty .'^Suppofed height of JEtna,-^ Magneti- 
cal needle agitated on the mountain. — Eledricity of the 
air near volcanos,Si7igular effeds of eledricity, — • 
Lightning from the fmoke of Mtna, — Variety of waters 
m the mountain, — Subterraneous river. — Ferioclical 
andpoifonous fprings, — Caverns. — Flants and flowers 
of JEtna. — VJild beafls . — Horfes,— Cattle, — Crater 
falls in every century, ^Anjmomius and Jlnapias, 
their filial piety, — Earthquake 1 1 69, — Eruption 
1 66^,—Foetical defcriptions of JEtna, 



LET. 



viii 



CONTENTS. 



LETTER XIL p. 147- 

Voyage from Catania to Syracufe, — Coaji formed bf 
Mount JEtna. — Homer takes no notice of this momu 
tairu — Virgil lands his hero at the foot of it*' — — 
View of the mountain from the fea. — Circumference 
^ of Mtna» — River Simetus, — Amber found near its 
mouth* — Lakes of Beviere and Pantana, — Leontine 
fields, — Augufta, — Syracufe* — Remains of antiquity, 
Latomie. — Ear of Dionyftus. — Amphitheatre, — 
tacomhs, — Temples, — Ortigia,— Fortification, — Foun- 
tain of Arethufa, — Fi6lions concerning it, — Alphaus. 
—Harbours of Syracufe, -^Archimedes, — His burnings 
glaffes, Magnificence of the ancient Syracufe,- — 
Poverty of the modern, 

LETTER XIIL p. 167. 

Voyage to Pachinus or Capo Paffero, — Maltefe fparo- 
naros — Method of rowing them, — A hurricane.— 
Capo Paffero, — Barrennefs of the country — Danger 
of this coajt — Method of avoiding it, 

LETTER XIV. p. 175. 

Sulphureous lake, — Serpent,— Voyage to Malta. 

LETTER XV. p. 179. 

Malta — Its produdio7is — Corn — Cotton — Oranges,^ 
Induftry of the Maltefe — Departure of a Maltefe 
fleet, — Harbour of Malta --Fortifications^ Public 
buildings. — Church of St, John*— Conf piracy of the 
Turkifh flaves, 

LET- 



CONTENTS. ix 

LETTER XVI. p. i88. 

Ancient city of Mellt a. -^Catacombs. — Bofquette.^Sta^ 
iue mid grotto of St. Paul. — Miraculous property,^ 
Grand majkr, — His power. — Land force of the if land, 
— Sea force. — Singular piece of ordnance. — Police. 
— Duelling — Punifhment of a knight. — Remarkable 
Jtorm. — Horfe races. — Malta an epitome of Europe, 
•^Its connexion with Sicily, 

LETTER XVIL p. 200. 

%ail for Agrigentum. — Ifland of Gozzo — Coq/l of Si- 
cily. — American aloes. — City of Agrigentum. 

LETTER XVIIL p. 204. 

Antiquities of Agrigentum. — Temples of Venus — Of Con- 
cord — Of Hercules — Of Jupiter Olympus^ &c. — Ce- 
lebrated pidure of Zeuxis — 'Statue of Apollo. — -Cata- 
combs and fepulchres. — Mountain of Agrigentum, 

LETTER XIX. p. 210. 

Luxury of the ancient Agrigenti. — Hofpitality. — -Anec- 
dote. — Humanity and gratitude to their horfes, 

Agrigentum longfid?jed to tyrants. — Phalaris^ anec- 
dote of him. — Melanippus and Cariion^ their friend- 
Jhip, — Death of Phalaris, 

LETTER XX. p. 218. 

Country around Agrigentum, — A feaft. — Hofpitality of 
the Agrigenti.— Their character, — The bijhop. — De- 
parture for Trapani.-^Sea form, — Driven back to 
Agrigentum,— Journey by land to Palermo.-^Rich- 
^ ~ nefs 



X CONTENTS. 

nefs and beauty of the country. — Poverty and opprejjton 
of the peafants, 

LETTER XXL p. 231. 

Conclufion of the Journey to Palermo, — Contraft betwixt 
Sicily and Switzerland — Inns^ &c. 

LETTER XXIL p. 238. 

City of Palermo-— Marino. — Converfations where held' 
— ' Sicilian ladies ,—Refledionso 

LETTER XXIIL p. 244. 

The viceroy -^His table, — Nobility, — Their temperance 
'-^Gallantry, — Toung ladies— Their education, 

LETTER XXIV. p. 248. 

Bagaria — Palace of the Prince Patagonia* 

LETTER XXV. p. 254. 

Sirocc wind. — Convent of capuchins — Their burial 
place, — Method of preferving the dead. — Anecdote. 
— Addrefs of a Sicilian ferva?it, 

LETTER XXVL p. 273. ' 
Account of a comet,— Refed ions . 

LETTER XX Vn. p. 288. 

Cathedral of Palermo,-^ J efuits church, — Cathedral of 
Monrealc—The archbifhop, — Preparation for a fejli" 
vaLSuperfvition of the people. 

LET^ 



CONTENTS- 



LETTER XXVIII. p. 294. 

St, RofoUa.^Subjecl of an Epic poem, — Some account 
of her, St, Viar, — Reflections, 

LETTER XXIX. p. 299. 

Sirocc wind, — Review of a Swifs regiment, -^Entertain' 
ment, — Difference of education here and on the con* 
tinent, — Prince of Refuttana. 

LETTER XXX, p. 310. 
feafl of St, Rofolia, 

LETTER XXXL p. 327. 

Antiquities. — Camefena. — Temple of Ceres at Enna, — 
Temple of Venus Erecina, — Difference of Homer and 
Virgil in their accounts of Sicily, 

LETTER XXXII. p. 334. 

Monte Pelegrino,-- St, Rofolia,— Ancient fortrefs, — Si- 
tuation of Palermo, — -Antiquity of that city, — Infcrip-^ 
fions, 

LETTER XXXIII. p. 344. 

Utility of ices in a hot climate. — Sicilian ffheries, — T!he 
Tunny-fijh, — The Pefce Spada, or Swoj'd f-Jh,-^ 
Method of fifhlng in the night. ^ Coral fifhing,-^Op- 
preffion of the government, — Foundation of the feudal 
fyftem in Sicily, — Parliament, — Inquifition, — Power 
of the viceroy,— Military force, — Sandier e men, 

LET, 



CONTENTS. 



LETTER XXXIV. p. 357. 

Sicilian titles, — Luxury of the Sicilians in their car^ 
riages . — Ridiculous -prejudice. 

LETTER XXXV. p. 362. 

Sicilians animated in converfation, — Marriage ceremcT 
nies, — Beauty of the ladies, — Anecdotc^Poetry the 
miverfal pa/Jion of the Sicilians. 

LETTER XXXVL p. 368. 

The opera. — Gabrieliy her wonderful performance — Her 
caprice ^ — Ballet of the opera.-^Englifh characters 
takn off. — Enmity betwixt the Sicilians and Neapo- 
litans. 

LETTER XXXVIL p. 378. 

Remarkable fprings in Sicily, — Sulphureous baths:.^ 
Springs of warm water in the fea. — Gigantic bones. 
^ Crops of wheat,^ — Method of preferving their 
grain, — Commodities of Sicily. — Soda. ~ Wild hgney. 
• — Sugar. — Liquorice. — Oranges, — Fiflachio nuts, 
^Manna,— Cantharides. — Marbles. — Pietra Sapo- 
naro. — Mujhroom ftones^ kc— Mount JEtna — Jd^ 
vantages refuting from it. 

LETTER XXXVm. p. 385. 

Return to Naples, 



A TOUR 



A 

TOUR 

THROUGH 

SICILY AND MALTA. 



LETTER I. 

DEAR BECKFORD. Naples, May 14, I770» 

I Remember to have heard you regret, that in all 
your peregrinations through Europe, you had ever 
negleded the ifland of Sicily ; and had fpent much 
^ of your time in running over the old beaten track, 
and in examining the thread-bare fubje£ls of Italy and 
France ; when probably there were a variety of ob- 
jects, not lefs interefting, that (till lay buried in 
oblivion in that celebrated ifland. We intend to pro- 
fit from this hint of yours. — Fullarton has been urging 
me to it with all that ardour, which a new profpedt 
of acquiring knowledge ever infpires in him ; and 
Glover, your old acquaintance, has promifed to ac* 
company us. 

The Italians reprefent it as impoffible : as there are 
no inns in the illand, and many of the roads are over 

B dangerous 



2 



A TOUR THROUGH 



dangerous precipices, dr through bogs and forefts^ 
infefted with the mofl refolute and daring banditti in 
Europe. However, all thefe confiderations, formi- 
dable as they may appear, did not deter Mr. Hamil- 
ton his lady, and Lord Fortrofe f- They made 
this expedition laft fummer ; and returned lb much 
delighted with it, that they have animated us with the 
ftrongeft delire of enjoying the fame pleafure. 

Our firll plan was to go by land to Regium, and 
from thence, crofs over to MefTma ; but on making 
exad inquiry, with regard to the ftate of the couiitry, 
and method of travelling, we find that the danger from 
the banditti in Calabria and Apulia is fo great, the ac - 
commodation fo wretched, and inconveniencies of 
every kind fo numerous, without any conHderation 
whatever to throw into the oppofite fcale, that w e foon 
relinquifhed that fcheme ; and in fpite of all the terrors 
of Scylla and Charybdis, and the more real terrors of 
feaficknefs (the moft formidable monPcer of the three) 
we have determined to go by water : And, that no time 
may be loft, we have already taken our paffage on 
board an Englifh fhip, which is ready to fail with the 
firft fair wind. 

Now, as this little expedition has never been con- 
fidered as any part of t-he grand tour; and as 
it will probably prefent many objects worthy of 
of your attention, not mentioned in any of our books 
of travels; I flatter myfelf that a fhort account of 
thefe will not be unacceptable to you ; and may in 
fome degree make up for your having negleded to 
vifit them. You may therefore exp^Q: to hear of 
me, from every town where we flop; and when I 

* Now knight of the bath. f Now Earl of Seaforth. 

meet 



SICILY AND MALTA, 3 

meet with any thing deferving of notice, I (hall attempt 
to defcribe it in as few v/ords as pofTible. We have 
been waiting with impatience for a fair wind, but at 
prefent there is little profpecl of it. The weather is 
exceedingly rough, and not a ihip has been able to get 
out of the harbour for upwards of three weeks paft^ 
This climate is by no m.eans what we expecled to find 
it ; and the ferene fky of Italy, fo much boafted of 
by our travelled gentlemen, does not altogether de- 
ferve the great euiogiums beflowed upon it. It is now 
the middle of May, and we have not as yet had any 
continuance of what may be called fine weather. It 
has, indeed, been abundantly warm, but feldom a 
day has palTed without fudden florms of wind and 
rain, which render walking out here to the full as 
dangerous to our invalids, as it is in England. 

I am perfuaded that our phyficians are under fome 
miftake with regard to this climate. It is certainly 
one of the warmefl in Italy ; but it is as certainly one 
of the mcfl inconftant ; and from what we have ob- 
ferved, difagrees with the greatefl part of our vale- 
tudinarians ; but more particularly with the gouty 
people, who have all found themfelves better at 
Rome ; which, though much colder in winter, is, I 
believe, a healthier climate* Naples to be fure is 
more eligible in fummer, as the air is conftantly re- 
frefhed by the fea breeze, when Rome is often 
Jcorched by the mofl infupportable heat. Lafi: fum- 
mer, Farenheit's thermometer never rofe higher at 
Naples than 76. At Rome it was at 89. The dif- 
ference is often flill more confiderable. In winter it 
is not iefs remarkable. Here^ our greateft degree 
of cold was in the end of January 5 tlxe thermometer 

B 2 flood 



4 A TOUR THROUGH 

flood at 36 ; at Rome it fell to 27 ; fo that the dlf- 
tance between the two extremes of heat and cold 
laft year at Naples, was only 40 degrees ; whereas 
at Rome it was no lefs than 62. Yet, by all accounts, 
their winter w^as much more agreeable and healthy 
than ours : For they had clear frofty weather whilft 
we were deluged with rains, accompanied w^ith 
very high wind. The people here alTure us, that in 
fome feafons it has rained every day for fix or feven 
weeks. But the moft difagreeable part of the Nea- 
politan climate is the firocc or fouth-eaft wind, which 
is very common at this feafon. It is infinitely more 
relaxing, and gives the vapours in a much higher 
degree, than the worfl of our rainy Novembers. It 
has now blown for thefe feven days without intermif- 
fion ; and has indeed blown away all our gaiety and 
fpirits ; and if it continues much longer, I do not 
know what may be the confequence. It gives a de- 
gree of lalTitude, both to the body and mind, that 
renders them abfolutely incapable of performing their 
iifual functions. It is not perhaps furprifmg, that it 
fhould produce thefe efFedls on a phlegmatic Eng- 
hfh conftitution ; but we have juft now an , inftance, 
that all the mercury of France muft fmk under the 
load of this horrid, leaden atmofphere. A fmart 
Parifian marquis came here about ten days ago : he 
was fo full of animal fpirits that the people thought 
him mad. He never remained a moment in the fame 
place ; but, at their grave converfations, ufed to fkip 
from room to room with fuch amazing elafticity, that 
the Italians fwore he had got fprings in his fhoes. I 
met him this morning, walking v^ath the ftep of a 
philofopher 3 a fmelling bottle in his hand, and all his 

vivacity 



SICILY AND MALTA. 5 

vivacity extinguifhed. I alked what was the matter ? 

Ah! nion ami," faid he, je m'ennui a la mort ; 

— moi, qui n'ai jamais Tennui. Mais cet exe- 
" crable vent m'accable ; et deux jours de plus, ec 

je me pend/' 

The natives themfelves do not fufFer lefs than 
ftrangcrs ; and all nature feems to languiih during 
this abominable wind. A Neapolitan lover avoids his 
miflrefs with the utmoft care in the time of the firocc, 
and the indolence it infpires, is almoll fufficient to 
extinguifh every paffion. All works of genius are 
laid afide, during its continuance ; and when any 
thing very flat or infipid is produced, the ftrongeft 
phrafe of difapprobation they can bellow is, " Era 

fcritto in tempo del firocco that it was writ in 
the time of the firocc. I fhall make no other apology 
for this letter ; and whenever I happen to tire you, 
be kind enough to remember fpray do) that it is not 
me you are to blame, but the firocc wind. This will 
put me much at my eafe, and will fave us a world of 
time in apologies. 

I have been endeavouring to get fome account of 
the caufe of this very fmgular quality of the firocc ; 
but the people here feldom think of accounting for 
any thing, and I do not find, notwithftanding its 
remarkable effeds, that it has ever yet been an object 
of inquiry amongft them. 

I have not obferved that the firocc makes any re- 
markable change in the barometer. When it firll fet 
in, the mercury fell about a line and a half ; and has 
continued much about the fame height ever fince; 
but the thermometer was at 43 the morning it began, 
and rofe almofl immAcdiately to 65 ; and for thefe two 

B 3. days 



5 



A TOUR THROUGH 



days pafl it has been at 70 and 71. However, it is 
certainly not the warmth of this wind, that renders 
it fo oppreinve to the fpirits ; it is rather the want of 
that genial quality, which is fo enlivening ; and which 
ever renders the weflern breeze fo agreeable : The 
fpring and eladicity of the air feems to be loft ; and 
that a6live principle which animates all nature, ap« 
pears to be dead This principle we have fometimes 
fuppofed to be nothing elfe than the fubtle electric 
fluid that the air ufually contains ; and indeed, we 
have found, that during this wind, it appears to be 
almoft annihilat:-d, or at leaft, its a£l:ivity exceedingly 
reduced Yefterday, and tq-day, we have been at- 
tempting to make fome ele<Ll:rical experiments ; but I 
never before found the air fo unfavourable for them. 

Sea-bathing we have found to be the befl antidote 
againft the effeds of the lirocc ; and this we certainly 
enjoy in great perfection. Lord Fortrofe, who is the. 
foul of our colony here, has provided a large com« 
modious boat for this purpofe. We meet every 
morning at eight o'clock, and row about half a mile 
put to fea, where we ftrip and plunge into the water : 
V/ere it not for this, we fnould all of us have been 
as bad as the French marquis. My lord has ten wa- 
termen, who are in reality a fort of amphibious 
animals, as they live one half the fummer in the feao 
Three or four of thefe generally go in with us, tq 
pick up ftragglers, and fecure us from all accidenrs. 
They dive vAth eafe to the depth of forty, and fome- 
times of fifty feet, and bring up quantities of excel- 
lent ihell-fifh during the fum.mer months ; but fo 
great is their devotion, that every time they go down 
they make the fign of the crofs-, and mutter an Ave 

Maria^ 



SICILY AND MALTA. 7 

Maria, without which they think they fhould certainly 
be drowned ; and were not a little fcandalized at us 
for omitting this ceremony. To accuftom us to 
Iwimming in all circumftances, my lord has provided 
a fuit of clothes, which we wear by turns ; and from 
a very fhort practice, we have found it alm.ofl as com- 
modious to fwim with as without them ; we have like- 
wife learned to ftrip in the water, and find it no very 
difEcuIt matter : And I am fully perfuaded, from 
being accuflomed to this kind of exercife, that in cafe 
of fhipwreck we ihould have greatly the advantage 
over thofe who had never praQifed it ; for it is by the 
embarraffment from the clothes, and the agitation 
that people are thrown into, from finding themfelves 
in a fituation they had never experienced before^ 
that fo many lives are iofl in the water. 

After bathing, we have an En lifh breakfafl, at 
his lordfhip's ; and after breakfaft, a delightful little 
concert, which lads for an hour and a half. Bar» 
beila, the fweeteft fiddle in Italy, leads our little 
band. This party, I think, conflitutes one principal 
part of the pleafure we enjoy at Naples. We have 
likewife fonie very agreeable fociety amongft our- 
felves, though we cannot boafl much of that with the 
inhabitants. There are to be fure many good people 
amongft them ; but in general, there is fo very little 
analogy betwixt an Englilh and a Neapolitan mind, 
that the true focial harmony, that great fweetener of 
human life, can feldom be produced. In lieu of this, 
(the exchange you will fay is but a bad one) the 
country round Naples abounds fo much in every 
thing that is curious, both in art and nature, and 
aSprds fo aiinple a field of fpeculatjon for the nat 

B 4 rahfl 



s 



A TOUR THROUGH 



ralift and antiquary, that a perfon of any curiofity 
may fpend feme months here very agreeably, and not 
without profit. 

Befides the difcoveries of Herculeaneum and Pom- 
peia, which, of themfelves, afford a great fund of 
entertainment, the whole coafl that furrounds this 
beautiful bay, particularly that near Puzzoli, Cuma, 
Micenum, and Baia, is covered with innumerable 
monuments of Roman magnificence. But, alas ! 
how are the mighty fallen! This delightful coafl, 
once the garden of all Italy, and inhabited only by 
the rich, the gay, and luxurious, is now abandoned 
to the poorefl and mofh miferable of mortals. Perhaps 
there is no fpot on th@ globe, that has undergone fo 
thorough a change ; or that can exhibit fo ftriking a 
picture of the vanity of human grandeur. Thofe very 
walls that once lodged a Csefar, a Lucuilus, an An- 
thony, the richefh and mofl voluptuous of mankind ; 
are now occupied by the very meanefl and mofl indi- 
gent wretches on earth, who are adually flarving for 
want in thofe very apartments that were the fcenes of 
the greatefl luxury. There we are told that fup- 
pers were frequently given, that cofl fifty thoufand 
pounds; and fome that even amounted to double 
that fum. 

The luxury indeed of Baia was fo great, that it 
became a proverb, even among the luxurious Ro- 
mans themfelves ; and, at Rome, we often find them 
upbraiding with effeminacy and epicurifm, thofe who 
fpent much of their time in this fcene of delights ; 
Clodius throws it in Cicero's teeth more than once ; 
And that orator's having purchafed a villa here, hurt 
him not a little in the opinion of the graver and more 

auflere 



SICILY AND MALTA. 



9 



auftere part of the fenate. The walls of thefe palaces 
ftill remain, and the poor peafants, in fome places, 
have built up their miferable huts within them ; but, 
at prefent, there is not one gentleman or man of 
fafhion refiding in any part of this country ; the for- 
mer flate of which, compared with the prefent, cer- 
tainly makes the moil ftriking contrail: imaginable. 
'Yeflerday we rode over the greateft part of it a fhoot- 
ing porcupines, a new fpecies of diverfion, which I 
had never heard of before. We killed feveral of 
thefe animals on the Monte Barbaro, the place that 
formerly produced the Falernian wine, but now a bar- 
ren wafte. I don't know if you are acquainted with 
this kind of fport. To me, I own, its novelty was 
its greateft merit ; and I would not at any time give 
a day of partridge for a month of porcupine (hoot- 
ing. Neither indeed is the flefh of thefe animals the 
moil delicious in the world, though to-day moil of 
us have dined upon it. It is extremely lufcious, and 
foon palls upon the appetite. 

We are now going to lay in our fea-llore, as there 
is fome probability that we {hall fail in a day or two. 
— Farewel — you ftiall hear from me again at MefFina^ 
if we are not fwallowed up by Charybdis. 



LETTER II. 

On Board the Charming M0II7, ofF the 
Iflnnd of Capre, May 15- 

^^^^ E have now begun our expedition with every 
aufpicious omen. This morning the melancholy 
firocc left us J and in place of it we have gotten a 
7 fine 



to 



A TOUR THROUGH 



fine briik tramontane (or North wind'^^ which in a few 
hours blew away all our vapours, and made us won- 
der how much the happinefs of mankind depends on 
a blafl of wind., After eating a hearty dinner with 
many of our friends at Mr. Waiter's, and drinking 
plentifully of his excellent burgundy, we took leave in 
the highefl fpirits. Had the firocc blown as yefter- 
day, we Ihould probably have been in tears ; and not 
one of us would have fufpeded that we were crying, 
only becaufe the wind was in the fouth. We are not 
apt to fuppofe it ; but probably a great part of our 
pleafiires and pains depend upon fuch trivial caufeSj 
though always afcribed to fomething elfe ; few people 
I>eing willing to own themfelves like a weathercock, 
alieded by every blafl. Indeed v/e fhould have na- 
turally imputed it to the grief of parting with that 
excellent family whom you know fo well ; which no 
perfon could ever leave without regret, or fee with- 
out pleafore ; but the agreeable profpeQ: of foon 
meeting again ^ probably better qualified to amufe 
and entertain them abforbed all melancholy thoughts; 
and even added to that alacrity, which the delightful 
tour before us had already infpired. 

We failed at five ; and after firing our farewel fig- 
nals to our friends on fliore^ (whom we difcovered 
•with our glalTes at fome miles diftance) we foon found 
purfelves in the middle of the bay of Naples, fur^ 
l-ounded by the mod beautiful fcenery in the world." 
It fell calm for an hour, on purpofe to give us time 
to contemplate all its beauties. 

The bay is of a circular figure ; in mofl places up, 
t^afds of 20 miles in diameter ; fo that including all 
its breaks and inequalities, the circumference is con- 
iiderably more than 60 miles. The v/hole of this 

fpace 



SICILY AND MALTA. 



fpace is fo wonderfully diverfified, by all the riches 
both of art and nature, that there is fcarce an objed 
wanting to render the fcene complete ; and it is hard 
to fay, whether the view is more pleafmg from the 
fmgularity of many of thefe objefts, or from the in- 
credible variety of the whole. You fee an amazing 
mixture of the antient and modern ; fome riling to 
fame, and fome finking to ruin. Palaces reared 
over the tops of other palaces, and antient magnifi« 
cence trampled under foot — by m.odern folly. — 
Mountains and iflands, that were celebrated for their 
fertihty, changed into barren wailes, and barren 
waftes into fertile fields and rich vineyards. Moun- 
tains funk into plains, and plains fwelled into moun- 
tains. Lakes drunk up by volcanos, and extin- 
guifhed volcanos turned into lakes The earth flill 
fmoking in many places ; j^nd in others throwing out 
flame. — In ihort, Nature feenis to have formed this 
coafl in her mod capricious mood ; for every obje<5t 
Js a, lufus nattird^. She never feems to have gone 
ferioufly to work ; but to have devoted this fpot to 
the mofl unlimited indulgence of caprice and frolic. 

The bay is fhut out from the Mediterranean by 
the ifland of Capre, fo famous for the abode of 
Auguftus 5 and afterwards fo infamous for that of 
Tiberius. A little to the weft He thofe of Ifchia, 
Procida, and Nifida ; the celebrated promontory of 
Micaenum, where j3]lneas landed ; the clafTic fields 
of Baia, Cuma, ^nd Puzzoli ; with all the variety of . 
fcenery that formed both the T artarus and Elyfiuni 
of the ancients ; the Campi Phlegrei, or burning plains 
where Jupiter overcame the giants ; the Monte Novo, 
formed of late years by fire \ the Monte Barbaro • 

the 



A TOUR THROUGH 



the piciurefque city of Puzzoli, with the Solfaterra 
fmoking above it ^ the beautiful promontory of 
Faufillippe, exhibiting the finefl fcenery that can be 
imagined ; fhe great and opulent city of Naples, with 
its three cafties, its harbour full of (hips from every 
nation, its palaces, churches, and convents innu- 
merable. The rich country from thence to Portici, 
covered with noble hdufes and gardens, and appear- 
ing only a continuation of the city. The palace of 
the king, with many others furrounding it, all built 
over the roofs of thofe of Herculaneum, buried near 
a hundred feet, by the eruptions of Vefuvius. The 
black fields of lava that have run from that moun- 
tain, intermixed with gardens, vineyards, and orchards. 
Vefuvius itfelf, in the back ground of the fcene, dif- 
charging volumes of fire and fmoke, and forniing a 
broad track in the air over our heads, extending , 
without being broken or diffipated to the utmoft 
¥erge of the horizon. A variety of beautiful towns 
and villages, round the bafe of the mountain, 
thoughtlefs of the impending ruin that daily threatens 
them. Some of thefe are reared over the very roofs 
of Pompeia and Stabia, where Pliny perifhed ; and 
¥/ith their foundations have pierced through the 
lacred abodes of the ancient Romans \ thoufands of 
whom lie buried here, the vidims of this inexorable 
mountain. Next follows the extenfive and romantic 
coaft of Caftello Mare, Sorrentum, and Mola; di- 
verfified with every pidurefque objed in nature. It 
was the ftudy of this wild and beautiful country that 
formed our greatefl landfcape-painters. This was 
the fchool of Pouffin and Salvator Rofa, but more 
particularly of the laft, who compofi£d many of his 

moft 



SICILY AND MALTA. 

mofl: celebrated pieces from the bold craggy rocks 
that furround this coafl: ; and no doubt it was fiom 
the daily contemplation of thefe romantic objeds, 
that they ftored their minds with that variety of ideas 
they have communicated to the world with fuch ele- 
gance in their works. 

Now, fhould I tell you that this extenfive coafl:, 
this prodigious variety of m.ountains, valleys, pro- 
montories, and iflandf, covered with an everlafting 
verdure, and loaded with the richefl fruits, is all the 
produce of fubterraneous fire ; it would require, I am 
afraid, too great a flretch of faith to believe me ; yet 
the fad is certain, and can only be doubted by thofi 
who have wanted time or curiofity to examine it. It 
is ftrange, you will fay, that Nature Ihould make ufe 
of the fame agent to create as to deilroy ; and that 
what has only been looked upon as the confumer of 
countries, is in fad the very power that produces 
them. Indeed, this part of our earth feems already 
to have undergone the fentence pronounced upon the 
whole of it ; but, like the phoenix, has rifen again 
from its own afhes, in much greater beauty and 
fplendour than before it was confumed. The traces 
of thefe dreadful conflagrations are ftill confpicuous 
in every corner ; they have been violent in their ope- 
rations, but in the end have proved falutary in their 
effeds. The fire in many places is not yet extin- 
guiihed, but Vefuvius is now the only fpot where it 
rages with any degree of adivity. 

Mr. Hamilton, our minifter here, who rs iiq lefs 
diilinguiHied in the learned, than m the polite world ^ 
has lately examined it with a truly pliilofophic eye, 
and this is the refult of all his obfervations ; however. 



14 



A TOUR THROUGH 



at prefent, I only fit down to give you an account of 
the profpeft of this fingular country, and not to write 
its natural hidory ; which would lead me into too vail 
a field : I fhali referve that curious fubje6l till our 
return, when I fliall have more ieifure to make you 
acquainted with it — I beg therefore you would at 
lead fufpend your judgment for the prefent, and do 
not condemn me before I am heard. 

After contemplating this delightful profpeQ:, till 
fun-fet, the wind fprung up again, and we have now 
almoft reached Capre, 30 miles diftant from Naples^ 
We have juft fpoken with an Engliih fnip. They tell 
' us, that the Marquis of Carmarthen, Lord Fortrofe^ 
and Mr. Hamilton obferving the calm, took a boat 
to make us a vifit ; but unfortunately miftaking their 
veiTel for ours^ we have had the mortihcatiorl to mife 
them. 

The night Is very dark ; and mount Vefuvius is 
flaming at a dreadful rate : We can obferve the red- 
hot (tones thrown to a vafi: height in the air ; and^ 
after their fall rolling down the fide of the mountaiuo 
Our fhip is going fo fmooth, that we are fcarce fen- 
fible of the motion j and if this wind continue, before 
to-morrow night we fhall be in fight of Sicily. Adieu. 
The captain is making a bowl of grog^ and promifmg 
tis a happy voyage. 

16th. All wrong-— Sick to death— Execrable firocc 
\vind, and direftly contrary— Vile heaving waves^ — 
A plague of all fea voyages —That author was furely 
right, who faid that land voyages * v/ere much to be 
preferred* 



* See Tbur to the 



17th 



SICILif AND MALTA^ 1 5 

17th in the morning. For thefe 24 hours pall: we 
have been groaning to one another from our beds ; 
execrating the waves, and wifhing that we had rather 
been at the mercy of ail the banditti of Calabria. 
We are now beginning to change our tone. The 
firocc is gone, and the v;ind is coniiderably fallen ; 
however, >ve are flill three woeful figures. Our fer- 
vants too are as Tick and as helplefs as we. The 
captain fays, that Philip, our Sicilian man, was fright- 
ened out of his wits ; and has been praying to Su 
Januarius with all his might. He now. thinks he has 
"heard him, and imputes the change of the weather 
entirely to his intereft with his faint. 

17th. Three o'clock. Weather pleafant and fa* 
rourable. — A fine breeze fmce ten ; — have juil come 
in fight of Strombolo., Our pilot fays it is near 20 
leagues off. We have likewife a view of the moun- 
tains of Calabria, but at a very great diflance* Ship 
fleady ; and fea-ficknefs almoft gone. 

Eleven at night. The weather is now Rne, and we 
are all well. After fpying Strombolo, by degrees 
we came in fight of the reii of the Lipari ifiaiids, and 
part of the coaft of Sicily. Thefe iflands are very 
piclurefque, and feveral of them ftiil emit fmoke, par- 
ticularly Volcano, and \' olcanelio ; but none of 
them, for fome ages paft, except Strombolo, have 
made any eruptions of fire. We are juft now lying 
within about three miles of that curious iHand, and 
can fee its operations diftindlly. It appears to be a 
volcano of a very different nature from Vefuvius, th^ 
explofions of which fucceed one another with fome 
degree of regularity, and have no great variety of 
duration. Now I have been obferving Strombolo, 

ever 



1 6 A TOUR THROUGH 

ever fince it fell dark, with a good deal of pleafure, 
but not without feme degree of perplexity, as I can^ 
not account for its variety. Sometimes its explofions 
refemble thofe of Vefuvius, and the light feems only 
to be occafioned by the quantity of fiery ftones thrown 
into the air ; and as foon as thefe have fallen down, it 
appears to be extinguifhed, till another explofion caufes 
a frefh illumination : This I have obferved always to 
be the cafe with Vefuvius ; except when the lava has 
fifen to the fummit of the mountain, and continued 
without variety to illuminate the air round it. — The 
light from Strombolo evidently depends on fome 
other caufe. Sometimes a clear red flame ilTues from 
the crater of the mountain, and continues to blaze 
without interruption, for near the fpace of half an 
hour. The fire is of a different colour from the ex- 
plofions of (tones, and is evidently produced from a 
different caufe. It would feem as if fome inflam- 
mable fubflance were fuddenly kindled up in the 
bowels of the mountain. It is attended with no noife, 
nor explofion that we are fenfible of. It has now 
fallen calm, and we fhall probably have an opportu- 
nity of examining this volcano more minutely to- 
morrow. We were told at Naples that it had lately 
made a violent eruption, and had begun to form a 
new ifland at fome little diftance from the old ; which 
piece of intelligence was one of our great induce- 
ments to this expedition. We think we have difco- 
"^red this ifland, as we have obferved feveral times 
the appearance of a fmall flame arifing out of the fea, 
a little to the fouth-weft of Strombolo ; and fuppofe 
^t mud: have iffued from this new ifland ; but it is 
poflible this light may come from the lower part 

of 



SICILY AND MALTA. 



17 



of the illand of Strombolo itfelf. We fliall fee to- 
morrow. 

1 8th. We are ftill off Strombolo, but unfortunately 
at prefent it intercepts the view of that fpot from 
whence we obferved the flame to arife, and we can 
fee no appearance of any new ifland, nor indeed of 
any lava that has of late fprung from the old one. We 
have a diftin6t view of the crater of Strombolo, w^hich 
feems to be different from Vefuvius, and all the old 
volcanos that furround Naples. Of thefe, the cra- 
ters are without exception in the center, and form 
the higheft part of the mountain. That of Strombolo 
is on its fide, and not within 200 yards of its fummit. 
From the crater to the fea, the illand is entirely comx- 
pofed of the fame fort of alhes and burnt matter as 
the conical part of Vefuvius ; and the quantity of this 
matter is perpetually increafmg, from the uninter- 
rupted difcharge from the mountain ; for of all the 
volcanos we read of, Strombolo feem.s to be the only 
one that burns without ceafing. jEtna and Vefuvius 
often lie quiet for many months, even years, without 
the lead appearance of fire, but Strombolo is ever at 
work, and for ages pad has been looked upon as the 
great light-houfe of thefe feas. 

It is truly wonderful, how fuch a conffant and im- 
menfe fire is maintained for thoufands of years, in the 
midfl of the ocean ! That of the other Lipari iflands 
feems now almofl extin61:, and the force of the whole 
to be concentered in Strombolo, which a6ls as one 
great vent to them all. We flill obferve Volcano and 
Vc^canello throwing out volumes of fmoke, but du- 
ring the whole night we could not perceive the lead 
fpark of fire from either of them. 

C It 



A TOUR THROUGH 



It is probable, that Strombolo, as well as all tire 
reft of thefe illands, is originally the work of fubter- 
raneous fire. The matter of which they are com- 
pofed, in a manner demonftrates this ; and many of 
the Sicilian authors confirm it. There are now eleven 
of them in all ; and none of the ancients mention 
more than feven. Fazzeilo, one of the beft Sicilian 
authors, gives an account of the production of Vol- 
cano, now one of the moft confiderable of thefe 
iilands. He fays it happened in the early time of the 
republic, and is recorded by Eufebius, Pliny, and 
others. He adds, that even in his time, in the be- 
ginning of the 1 6th century, it ftill difcharged quan- 
tities of fire and of pumice ftones ; but that in the 
preceding century, in the year 1444, on the 5rh of 
February, there had been a very great eruption of 
this ifland, which fhook all Sicily, and alarmed the 
coaft of Italy as far as Naples, He fays the fea boiled 
ail round the ifland, and rocks of a vaft fize were 
difcharged from the crater; that fire and fmoke in 
many places pierced through the waves, and that the 
navigation amongfl thefe iilands was totally changed ; 
rocks appearing where it v/as formerly deep water ; 
and many of the flraits and fhallows were entirely 
filled up. He obferves, that Ariftotle, in his book 
on meteors, takes notice of a very early eruption of 
this iiland, by which not only the coaii: of Sicily but 
likewife many cities in Italy were covered with afhes. 
It has probably been that very eruption which formed 
the ifland. He defcribes Strombolo to have been, in 
his time, pretty much the fame as at this day ; only 
that it then produced a great quantity of cotton, 
which is not now the cafe. The greatefl part of it 

4 appears 



STeiLY AND MALTA< 



appears to be barren. On the north fide there are a 
few vineyards ; but they are very meagre : Oppofite 
to thefe, there is a rock at fome diftance from land j 
it feems to be entirely of lava, and is not lefs than 50 
or 60 feet above the water. 

The whole ifland of Strombolo, is a mountain that 
rifes fuddenly from the fea ; it is about ten miles rounds 
and is not of the exa£t conical form, fuppofed com- 
mon to all volcanos. We were determined to have 
landed on the ifland, and to have attempted to exa- 
mine the volcano ; but our Sicilian pilot alTures us, 
that the crater is not only inacceflible (which indeed I 
own it appears to be) but that we lhall likewife be 
obliged to perform a quarantine of 48 hours at Meflinaj 
and that befides, we fliould run a great riik of being 
attacked by the natives, who are little better than 
favages, and always on the alarm againfl the Turks.— 
On weighing thefe reafons, and putting the queflion, 
it was carried. To proceed on our voyage. 

I own it is with much regret that I leave this curious 
ifland, without being better acquainted with it. I 
have been looking with a good glafs all round, but 
can fee no marks of the eruption we heard fo much 
of at Naples ; indeed, the fouth-weil part, where we 
faw the appearance of fire, is ftill hid from us by the 
interpofition of the ifland ; and if there has been 
an eruption, it was certainly on that fide : It is pro- 
bable we fhall never be able to learn whether there 
has been one or not ; or, at lead, to make ourfelves 
mailers of any of the particulars relating to it ; for 
events of that kind do not make fuch a noife in this 
Ignorant and indolent country, as the blowing of an 
aloe, or a goofeberry bufh at Chriftmas, does in 

C 2 England , 



A TOUk THROUGH 



England, Strombolo rifes to a great height ; our pilot 
fays, higher than Vesuvius ; but I think he is miO:aken« 
Both the captain and he agree, that in clear weather it 
is difcoverable at the diftance of 25 leagues ; and that 
at night its flames are to be feen flill much farther ,; fo 
that its vifible horizon cannot be lefs than 500 miles, 
which will require a very confiderable elevation. 

The revenue thefe iflands bring to the King of Na- 
ples is by no means inconfiderabie. They produce 
great quantities of alum, fulphur, nitre, cinnabar, 
and moll forts of fruits, particularly raifms, currants, 
and figs, in great perfedion ; fome of their wines 
are likewife much efleemed ; particularly the Malvafia, 
well known all over Europe. 

The illand of Lipari (from which all the reft take 
the name) is by much the largeft, as well as the mofl 
fertile. By the defcription of Ariftotle, it appears 
that it was in his time, what Strombolo is in ours, 
confidered by failors as a iight-houfe, as its fires were 
never extinguifhed. It has not fuffered from fubter- 
- raneous fires for many ages paft, though it every where 
bears the marks of its former flate. This is the ifland 
fuppofed by Virgil (who is one of our travelling com- 
panions) to be the habitation of ^olus ; but indeed 
ail of them were formerly called iEolian, As they 
were full of vafl caverns, roaring with internal fires, 
the poets feigned that ^olus kept the winds prifoners 
here, and let them out at his pleafure. This allego- 
rical fiftion rs of great ufe both to Virgil and Homer, 
when I hey want to make a florm, and forms no in- 
confiderabie part of their machinery. A goddefs has 
nothing to do but take a flight to the Lipari iflands, 
and il-^oius^ who was the very pink of courtefy, has 

always 



SICILY AND MALTA* 



21 



always a floiTn ready at her command. 

Homer, indeed, departing fadly from his ufual dig- 
nity, fuppofes that ^olus kept the winds here, each 
tied up in their refpedive bags ; and when any parti- 
cular wind was demanded, he made them a prefent of 
a bag full of it, to ufe at difcretion. Some of the an- 
cient hiflorians (Diodorus, 1 think) fays that this fable 
took its rife from a wife Idng named ^olus ; who, 
from obferving the fmoke of thefe burning iflands, and 
other phasnomena attending them, had learned to 
foretel the weather ; and from thence was faid to have 
the command of the winds. 

The forge of Vulcan too has been fuppofed by the 
poets to be placed in Hiera, one of thefe iflands. Virgil 
fends him here, to make the celeftial armour for 
^neas, and gives a noble defcription of this gloomy 
habitation *, where he found the Cyclops bufy forging 
a thunderbolt for Jupiter ; the account of which is ve- 
ry fmgular f. This iiland is now called Volcano, the 
fame that is recorded to have been produced by fire 
in the time of the Republic. So that Virgil commits 

* Amid the Hefperian and Sicilian flood 
All black with fmoke, a rocky ifland ftood, 
The dark Vulcanian land, the region of the god, ' 
Here the grim Cyclops ply, in vaults profound, ^ 
The huge ^ohan forge, that thunders round. 
Th' eternal anvils ring the dungeon o'er ; 
From fide to fide the fiery caverns roar, &c. 

t Beneath their hands, tremendous to furvey ! 
Half rough, half form'd, the dreadful engine lay. 
Three points of rain ; three forks of hail confpire ; 
Three arm'd ^^'ith wind, and three were barbM with fire^ 
The mafs they temper'd thick with livid rays, \ 
Fear, wrath, and terror, and the lightning's blaze. 

PiTT. 

C 3 here 



A TOUR THROUGH 

here a very great anachronifm, in fending Vulcan to a 
place which at that time did not exift, nor for many 
ages after. But this bold poetical licence he amply 
repays us for, by the fine defcription he gives of it. 
Thefe iflands, he fays, were called Volcanian as well 
as ^olian : 

*' Volcani domus, et Volcania nomine tellus." 

So that the change of the name from Hiera to Vol- 
cano was a very natural one. This is the ifland that 
PUny calls Terafia ; and both Strabo and he gave an 
account of its produdion. 

19th. Found ourfelves within half a mile of the 
coaft of Sicily, which is low, but finely variegated. 
The oppofite coafl: of Calabna is very high, and the 
mountains are covered with the fineft verdure. It 
was almofl a dead calm, our fnip fcarce moving 
half a mile in an hour, fo that we had time to get a 
complete view of the famous rock of Scylla, on the 
Calabrian fide. Cape Pylorus on the Sicilian, and the 
celebrated Straits of the Faro that runs betv^^een them. 
Whilft we were dill fome miles diftant from the entry 
of the Straits, v/e heard the roaring of the current, 
like the noife of fome large impetuous river coniined 
between narrov/ banks. This increafed in proportion 
as we advanced, till we faw the water in many, places 
raifed to a confiderable height, and forming large ed- 
dies or whirlpools. The fea in every other place was 
as fmooth as glafs. Our old pilot told us, that he 
had often feen fliips caught in thefe eddies, and whirled 
about with great rapidity, without obeying the helm 
in the fmalleft degree. V^hen the weather is cahri, 
there is little danger i ' but when the waves meet with 

this 



SICILY AND MALTA. 12 J 

this Violent current, it makes a dreadful fea. He fays, 
there were five (hips wrecked in this fpot lafl winter. 
We obferved that the current fet exadly for the rock 
of Scylla, and would infallibly have carried any thing 
thrown into it againft that point ; fo that it was not 
without reafon the ancients have painted it as an object 
of fuch terror. It is about a mile from the entry of 
the Faro, and forms a fmall promontory, which runs 
a little out to fea, and meets the whole force of the 
waters, as they come out of the narrowefl part of the 
Straits. The head of this promontory is the famous 
Scylla. Ir mud be owned that it does not altogether 
come up to the formidable defcription that Homer 
grv'es of it ; the reading of which (like that of Shakef- 
pear's Cliff) almoft makes one's head giddy. Neither 
is ihe paiTage fo wondrous narrow and difficult as he 
makes it. Indeed it is probable that the breadth of 
it is greatly increafed fince his time, by the violent 
impetuofity of the current. And this violence too 
mufl: have aUvays diminifned, in proportion as the 
breadth of the channel increafed. 

Our pilot fays, there are many fmall rocks that 
fliew their heads near the bafe of the large ones. 
Thefe are probably the dogs that are defcribed as 
howling round the monfter Scylla. There are like- 
wife many caverns that add greatly to the noife of the 
water, and tend ftill to increafe the horror of the 
fcene. The rock is near 200 feet high. There is 
a kind of caille or fort built on its fummit ; and the 
town of Scylla, or Sciglio, containing three or four 
hundred inhabitants, ftands on its fouth fide, and gives 
the title of prince to a Calabrefe family. 

As the current was diredly againfl us, we were ob- 
liged 

C 4 



24 



A TOUR THROUGH 



liged to lie to, for fome hours, till it turned. The 
motion of the water ceafed for fome time, but in a few 
minutes it began in the oppofite direclion, though not 
with fuch violence. We lay juft oppofite to Cape 
Pylorus (where the lighthoufe is now built). It is faid 
to have been thus named by Hannibal, in recompence 
to Pelorus, his pilot, for having put him to death on 
this fpot, on a falfe fufpicion of his wanting to betray 
him : For feeing himfelf land-locked on all fides, he 
thought there v/as no efcaping, and that Pelorus had 
been bribed to deliver him up ; but as foon as he dif- 
covered the Straits, he repented of his raflmefs, and 
fome years afterwards eredled a ftatue here, in atone- 
ment to the manes of Pelorus. Pomponius Mela tells 
this ftory ; from Vv^hence he draws two very wife infer- 
ences : That Hannibal mufl have been extremely paf- 
fionate 5 and that he knev/ nothing at all of geography. 
Others deny this authority, and fay it was named Pe- 
lorus from UlylTes's pilot, who was drowned near to 
this place ; but there can be no fort of foundation for 
this conjecture ; for Ulyffes' whole crew were drowned 
at the fame time, and he himfelf was driven through 
thefe Straits, mounted on the broken mail of his fhip. 
It is like moft difputes amongfl antiquaries, a matter of 
mighty little confequence ; and I leave you at full liber- 
ty to choofe which of the two accounts you pleafe. 

From hence v/e had an opportunity of obferving a 
pretty large portion of Calabria, which formerly con- 
ftituted a confiderable part of that celebrated country, 
known by the name of Great Greece, and looked upon 
as one of the mofl fertile in the empire. Thefe beautiful 
hills and m.ountains are covered with trees and brufh- 
v;ood to the very fubmit ; and appear pretty much in 

the 



SICILY AND MALTA. 



25 



the fame (late as fome of the wilds of America that are 
juft beginning to be cultivated. Some little fpots where 
the woods are cleared away, juft ferve to fhew the natu- 
ral fertility of the foil ; and what this country might 
foon be brought to, were induftry and population en- 
couraged ; but it ftill remains a good deal in the fame 
fituation as when the barbarous nations left it ; and I 
believe it is hard to fay, whether their tyranny or that 
of Spain has been the moft oppreflive. After the inva- 
fion of thofe nations, and during the time of the dark 
and barbarous ages, this country (like many others), 
from the higheft ftate of culture and civilization, be- 
came a wild and barren Vvdldernefs, overgrown with 
thickets and forefts ; and indeed, fmce the revival of 
arts and agriculture, perhaps of all Europe this is the 
country that has profited the ieaft ; retaining ftill, both 
in the wildnefs of its fields and ferocity of its inhabitants, 
more of the Gothic barbarity than is to be met with 
any where elfe. Some of thefe forefts are of a vaft ex- 
tent and abfolutely impenetrable ; and no doubt con- 
ceal in their thickets many valuable m.onuments of its 
ancient magnificence. Of this indeed we have a very 
recent proof in the difcovery of Peftum, a Grecian 
city, that had not been heard of for many ages ; till of 
late fome of its k)fty temples were feen, peeping over 
the tops of the woods ; upbraiding mankind for their 
ftiameful neglecl ; and calling upon them to bring it 
once more to light. Accordingly curiofity, and the 
hopes of gain, a ftill more powerful motive, foon open- 
ed a paifage, and expofed to view thefe valuable and 
refpedable relics. — But here it would be out of place 
to give you an account of them j I fhall referve that 
till niy return. 

As 



26 A TOUR THROUGH 

As foon as our ihip entered the current we were car- 
ried along with great velocity towards Meffina, which 
is twelve miles from the entry of the ftraits. However, 
as the paflage widens in proportion as you advance, the 
current of confequence becomes lefs rapid. ' At Meiiina 
it is four miles broad. At the mouth of the Straits, 
betwixt the promontories of Pelorus in Sicily, and the 
Coda de Volpe (or the Fox's Tail) in Calabria, it ap- 
pears fcarcely to be a mile. Moil of the ancient wri^ 
ters are of opinion that Sicily was formerly joined to 
the continent in this fpot^ and that the feparation muft 
have been made by fome violent convuifion of the 
earth. If this is true, which indeed does not appear 
improbable, it mud have happened far beyond the 
reach of all hiflorians, as none of them, at leaft that 
I have feen, pretend any thing but conjedure for the 
foundation of their opinion. Indeed Claudian (were 
credit to be given to poets) fays pofitively, 

Trinacria quondam Iralios pars una fuit." 

And Virgil too, in his third Eneid, tells the fame flory : 

Hxc ioca vi quondam, et vafta convulla rulna, &c." 

Pliny, Strabo, Diodcrus, and many others, both hido- 
nans and philofophers, are of the fame fentiments, and 
pretend that the (Irata in the oppofite fides of the Strait 
perfe6tly correfpond : Like the white rocks near Do- 
ver and Bologne, which have given rife to an opi- 
nion of the fame kinde However, the fb^nikrity in 
that cafe^ 13 rnucb-more ilriking tathe eye at lead' than 
in this. 

The approach to Meflina is the finefl that can be 
imagined ; it is not fo grand, as that of Naples^ bat it 13 

much 



SLGiLY AND MALTA. ^7 

much more beautiful, and the key exceeds any thing 
I have ever yet feen, even in Holland. It is built iix 
the form of a crefcent, and is furrounded by a range 
of magnificent buildings, four ftories high, and ex- 
adly uniform, for the fpace of an Italian mile. The 
ftreet betwixt thefe and the fea is about an hundred 
feet wide, and forms one of the mod delightful Vv^alks 
in the world. It enjoys the freed air, and commands 
the moft beautiful profped; : It is only expofed to the 
morning fun, being fhaded all the reil of the day by 
thefe buildings. It is behdes condantly refreflied by 
the cooling breeze from the Straits ; for the current 
pf the water produces likewife a current in the air, that 
^renders this one of the cooled habitations in Sicily. 

We cad anchor about four this afternoon, near the 
center of this enchanted femicircle, the beauty of 
which greatly delighted us ; but our pleafure was foon 
interrupted by a difcovery that the name of one of 
our fervants had been omitted in our bills of health ; 
and an adlirance from the captain, that if he was dif- 
covered we fnould certainly be obliged to perform a 
long quarantine. Whiid we were deliberating upon 
this weighty matter, we obferved a boat with the 
people of the health-office approaching us. We 
had jud time to get him wrapped up in a ham- 
mockj and lliut down below the hatches ; with or- 
ders not to dir in cafe of a fearch, and not to appear 
again abqve deck till he fnould be called. The poor 
fellovN^ was obliged to keep in his hole till it was dark, 
as our conful and fome people of the health-office 
llayed on board much longer than we could have 
widied, and we are dill obliged to conceal him ; for 
if he be difcoveredj we Hiall probably get into a very 

ba4 



A TOUR THROUGH 



bad fcrape. They are particularly ftrid here in this 
refped : and indeed they have great reafon to be fo ; 
iince this beautiful city was alinofl annihilated by the 
plague in the year 1743, when upwards of 70,000 
people are faid to have died in it and its diflri6l in the 
fpace of a few months. 

We have now got on filore, and are lodged in the 
moll wretched of inns ; although faid to be a firfl- 
rate one for Sicily ; but we are contented ; for furely 
after bad Ihip-accommodation and fea-ficknefs, any 
lioufe will appear a palace^ and any bit of dry land a 
paradife. 

I Hiall fend this ofT by the pod, which goes to- 
morrow for Naples, and lhali continue from day to 
day to give you fome account of our tranfa£lions ; 
trifling as they are, there will probably be fomething 
Bew ; and it will add greatly to the pieafure of our 
expedition, to think that it has contributed to your 
entertainment. Adieu, 

Ever yourSj &c. 



LETTER. III. 

Meffina, May 20. 

^J^HE harbour of Meffina is formed by a fmall 
promontory or neck of land that runs off from 
the eall end of the city, and feparates that beautiful 
bafcn from the reft of the Straits. The fhape of this 
promontory is that of a reaping-hook, the curvature 
of which forms the harbourj and fecures it from all 

winds. 



SICILY AND MALTA. ^9 

.winds. From the ftrikmg refemblance of Its form, 
the Greeks, who never gave a name that did not 
either defcribe the objecb or exprefs fome of its moll 
remarkable properties, called this place Zancle or the 
Sickle, and feigned that the fickle of Saturn fell on 
this fpot, and gave it its form. But the Latins^ v/ho 
were not quite fo fond of fable, changed its name to 
Medina (fromi Me/fiSj a harvefl) becaufe of the great 
fertility of its fields. It is certainly one of the fafefl 
harbours in the world after fnips have got in ; but it 
is likewife one of the moft difficult accefs. The cele-" 
hrated gulph or whirlpool of Charybdis lies near to 
its entry, and often cccafions fuch an inteftine and 
irregular motion in the water, that the helm lofes 
moil: of its power, and fnips have great difficulty to 
get in, even with the faired wind that can blow^ 
This whiiipocl, I think, is probably formed by the 
finaii promontory I have mentioned ; which contracc- 
ing the Straits in this fpot, mud neceiTarily increaie 
the velocity of the current ; but no doubt other 
caufes, of which we are ignorant, concur, for this 
will by no means account for all the appearances 
which it has produced. The great noife occafioned 
by the tumAiltuous motion of the waters in this place, 
made the ancients liken it to a voracious fea-monller 
perpetually roaring for its prey ; and it has been re- 
prefented by their authors, as the moll tremendous 
pafTage in the world. Aridctle gives a long snd a 
form-idabie defcription of it in his S25th chapter De 
Admirandis, which I find tranllated in an old Sicilian 
book I have got here. It begins, Adeo profun- 
durn, horridumque fpeclacalum, ccc.'' but it is 
too long to tranfcribe. It is likev,ife defcribed by 

6 Homer, 



A TOUR tHROUGH 

Homer I2tli of the OdyfTey ; Virgil f, 3d ^rieid ; 
Lucretius, Ovid, Salluft, Seneca, as alfo by many 
of the old Italian and Sicilian poets, who all Ipeak of 
it in terms of horror ; and reprefent it as an objed 
that infpired terror, even when looked on at a dif- 
tance. It certainly is not now fo formidable : and 
very probably, the violence of this motion, continued 
for fo many ages, has by degrees worn fmooth the 
rugged rocks, and jutting fhelves, that may have in- 
tercepted and confined the waters. The breadth 



* Dire Scylla there a fcene of horror forms, 
And here Charybdis fills the deep with florms : 
When the tide rufhes from her rumbling caves. 
The rough rock roars ; tumultuous boil the waves j 
They tofs, they foam, a wild Confufion raife, 
liike waters bubbling o'er the fiery blaze j 

. Eternal mids obfcure th' aerea! plain, 
And high above the rock Ihe fpouts the main. 
When in her gulphs the rufhing fea fubfidesi, 
She drains the ocean with her refluent tides. 
The reck re-bellows with a thundering found ; 
Deep"; wondrous deep,, below appears the ground. 

Po?£» 

f That realm of old, a ruin huge was rent. 
In length of ages from the continent. 
With force convulfive bur ft the ifle away ; 
Through the dread opening broke the thundering fea* 
At once the thundering fea Sicilia tore, 
And funder'd from the fair Hefperian fhore ;' 
And ftill the neighbouring coafts and towns divides: 
With fcanty channels and contraded tides. 
Fierce to the right tremendous Scylla roars, 
Charybdis on the left the flood devours : 
Thrice fwallow'd in her womb fubfides the fea, • 
Deep, deep as hell ; and thrice (he fpouts away 
From her black bellowing gulphs difgorg'd on high 
Waves after waves, that dafh againft the (ky. Pitr.' 

of 



SICILY AND MALTA. ' 

of the Straits too, in this place, I make no doubt is 
confiderably enlarged. Indeed, from the nature of 
things it mufl: be fo ; the perpetual fridion occafioned 
by the current mufl wear away the bank on each 
fide, and enlarge the bed of the waten 

The vefTels in this palTage were obliged to go as 
near as poinble to the coaft of Calabria, in order to 
avoid the fudion occafioned by the whirling of the 
waters in this vortex ; by which means when they 
came to the narrowefi: and mod rapid part of the 
Straits, betwixt Cape Pelorus and Scylla, they were 
in great danger of being carried upon that rock* 
From whence the proverb, ftill applied to thofe, who 
in attempting to avoid one evil fall into another, 

Incidit in Scyllara, cupiens evitare Carlbdem." 

There is a fine fountain of white marble on the key^ 
reprefenting Neptune holding Scylla and Charybdis 
chained, under the emblematical figures of two fea- 
monfters, as reprefented by the poets. 

The little neck of land, forming the harbour.of 
MeiTma, is flrongly fortified. The citadel, which is 
indeed a very fine work, is built on that part which 
Gonne£ls it with the main land. The farthermoft 
point, which runs out to fea, is defended by four 
fmall forts, which command the entry into the har- 
bour. Betwixt thefe lie the lazaret, and a light- 
houfe to warn failors of their approach to Charybdis, 
as that other on Cape Pelorus is intended to give 
them notice of Scylla. 

It is probably from thefe light-houfes (by the 
Greeks called Pharoi) that the whole of this cele- 
brated Strait has been denominated the Faro of 
MeiTma. 

There 



32 



A TOUR THROUGH 



There are a number of gallies and galliots in thi^s 
beautiful harbour, which ftiil add greatly to its beauty. 
Three of thefe failed this morning, in order to cruize 
round the ifland, and to proted it from the fudden 
invafions of the Barbarians, who are often very 
troublefome on the fouth coafl. Thefe velTeis made 
a very pidurefque appearance as they went out of the 
harbour ; their oars moving all together, with the 
greateft regularity. I think there are nine or ten men 
to each oar ; and indeed it appears to be the hardefl 
work you can imagine. They all rife, every ftroke 
of the oar, and when they pull, they almoft throw 
themfelves on their backs, and feem to exert their 
ntmofl force. Thefe wretches are chained to their 
oars, and fleep every night on the bare benches, 
without any thing to throw over them. Yet, what 
is flrange, notvv/ithflanding all the mifery they fuf- 
fer, I am told there was never known an inftance 
of any of them putting themfelves to death. They 
often, indeed, confer that favour upon one another, 
but it is only in their quarrels, and by no means out 
of kindnefs. In a company of Englifh in the fame 
circumftances, promotion would probably go on 
much fafter, as there would be no want of vacancies, 
provided only ropes and knives vv^ere to be had. 

We intended this morning to have paid our re- 
fpeds to the prince of Villa Franca, the governor, and 
to have delivered our letters ; but he is gone to his 
country houfe, and as there are no caiTiages to be 
had, we are obliged to wait his arrival in town, w^hich 
will probably be to-morrow or next day. 

We are lliii under a good deal of uneafmefs about 
our fervant, and are obliged to conceal him carefully 

from 



SICILY AND MALTA* 3J 

from the people of the health-ofEce, who feem to 
haunt us, as we have met them this morning in all 
our walks. Were he to be difcovered, perhaps 
fome of us might have the pleafure of making a little 
voyage, on board one of thofe gallies, for our amufe- 
ment. Indeed the captain of the fhip, poor fellow, 
would run the greatefl rilk, who is obliged to anfwer 
for every perfon on board. — We fhall leave this place 
as foon as poffible ; for I do not behave there is much 
more to be feen about it. 

20th at night. After dinner our depute conful (2 
Sicilian) carried us to feveral convents, where we 
were received by the nuns with great poHtenefs and 
affability. We converfed with them for fome hours 
through the grate, and found fome of them by no 
means deficient, either in point of knowledge or 
fprightlinefs ; but none of them had fmcerity enough 
(which we met with in Portugal more than once) to 
acknowledge the unhappinefs of their fituation. All 
pretended to be happy and contented, and declared 
they would not change their prifon for the moil bril- 
liant fituation in Hfe. However, fome of them had 
a foft melancholy in their countenances, that gave 
the lie to their words ; and I am perfuaded, in a 
tete-i-tete, and on a more intimate acquaintance, 
they would have told a very different ftory. Several 
of them are extremely handfome; but, indeed, I 
think they always appear fo ; and am very certain, 
from frequent experience, that there is no artificial 
ornament, or ftudied embelUfhment whatever, that 
can produce half fo ftrong an effed, as the modefl 
and funple attire of a pretty young nun, placed be- 
hind a double iron grate. To fee an amiable, un- 

D affeded, 



34 



A TOUR THROUGH 



afFecled, and unadorned perfon, that might have been 
an honour and an ornament to fociety, make a vo- 
luntary refignation of her charms, and give up the 
world and all its pleafures, for a life of fading and 
mortification, it cannot fail to move our pity ; 

And pity melts the mind to love." 

There is another coniideration v^hich tends much to 
increafe thefe feelings ; that is, our total incapacity 
ever to alter her fituation. — -The pleafure of relieving 
an objed in didrefs, is the only refuge v;^e have 
againfl the pain which the feeing of that objed occa- 
fions ; but here, this is utterly denied us, and we 
feel with forrow, that pity is all we can beftow. 

From thefe, and the like refiedions, a man gene- 
rally feels himfelf in bad fpirits after converfmg with 
amiable nuns. Indeed, it is hardly poflible, without 
a heavy heart, to leave the grate ; that inexorable 
and impenetrable barrier.— At laft we took our leave, 
exprefling our happinefs, in being admitted fo near 
them ; but at the fame time deploring our mifery, in 
feeing them for ever removed at fo unmeafurable a 
diflance from us. They were much pleafed with 
our vifit, and begged we would repeat it every day 
during our flay at Meflina; but this might prove 
dangerous. 

On leaving the convent, we obferved a great con- 
courfe of people on the top of a high hill, at fome 
diflance from the city. The conful told us, it was 
the celebration of a great feftival in honour of St. 
Francis, and was worth our going to fee. Accor- 
dingly, we arrived jufl as the faint made his appear- 
ance. He was carried through the crowd with vail 
* • * ceremony^ 



SICILY AND MALTA. 35 

ceremony, and received the homage of the people 
with a becoming dignity ; after which he was again 
lodged in his chapel, where he performs a number of 
miracles every day, to all thofe who have abundance 
of money and abundance of faith. His minifters, 
however, are only a fet of poor greafy capuchins ; 
who indeed do not feem to have enriched themfelves 
in his fervice. In general, he is but a lhabby maf- 
ter, if one may judge by the tattered clothes of his 
fervants ; and St. Benedi^l:, who does not pretend to 
half his fandity, beats him all to nothing. The 
people continued to dance, in foft Sicilian meafures, 
till after fun-fet, when they retired. Many of the 
country ^irls are extremely handfome, and dance with 
a good grace. The young fellows were all in their 
Sunday's clothes, and made a good appearance. The 
affem.bly-room was a fine green plain on the top of 
the hill. It pleafed us very much, and put us in 
mind of fome of Theocritus's defcriptions of the 
Sicilian pleafures. But Theocritus, if he could have 
raifed up his head, would probably have been a good 
deal puzzled what to make of the fhabby figure of St. 
Francis marching through amongll: them with fuch 
majefly and folemnity. Another part of the cere- 
mony too would have greatly alarmed him, as indeed 
it did us. The whole court before the church was 
furrounded with a triple row of fmall iron cannon, 
about fix inches long ; thefe were charged to the 
muzzle, and rammed very hard; after which they 
were fet clofe to each other, and a train laid, that 
completed the communication through the whole 
number, which mud have exceeded 2000. Fire was 
fet to the train, and in two or three 'minutes the 

D 2 whole 



36 A TOUR THROUGH 

whole was difcharged by a running fire ; the reports - 
fpUowing one another fo quick, that it was impoffib e 
for the ear to feparate them. The effect was very 
grand; but it wouM have been nothing without the 
fine echo from the high mountains on each fide of the 
Straits, which prolonged the found for fome confidera- 
ble time after the firing was finifhed. 

The view from the top of this hill is beautiful' 
beyond defcription. The Straits appear Kke a vafl 
niajeftic river, flowing flowly betwixt tw^o ridges of 
mountains, and opening by degrees from its narroweft 
point, till it fwells to the fize of an ocean. Its banks, 
at the fame time, adorned with rich corn fields, vine- 
yards, orchards, towns, villages, and churches. The 
profpe6t is terminated on each fide by the tops of high 
mountains covered with wood. 

We obferved in our walks to-day, many of the 
flowers that are much efteemed in our gardens,, and 
others too that we are not acquainted with. Larkfpur, 
flos Adonis, Venus* looking-glafs, hawkfweed, and 
very fine lupins, grow wild over all thefe mountains,. 
They have likewife a variety of flowering fhrubs ^ parti- 
cularly one in great plenty, which f do not recollect 
ever to have feen before : It bears a beautiful round 
fi'uit, of a bright finning yellow. They call it II pomo 
d'' oro, or golden apple. All the fields about MefTina 
are covered with the richefl white clover, intennixed 
with a variety of aromatic plants, which perfume the 
air, and render their walks exceedingly delightful'. 
But what is remarkable, we were mofl fenfible of this 
perfume, when walking on the harbour which is at the 
greatefl diflance from thefe fields. I mentioned this 
peculiarity to a MefFinefe gentleman, who tells me^. 

that 



SICILY AND MALTA, 37 

that the fait produced here by the heat of the fun emits 
a grateful odour, fomething like violets j and it is that 
probably, which perfumes the fea fiiore. On confult- 
ing Fazzello de Rebus Siculis, I find he takes notice 
of the fame fmgularity ; and likewife obferves, that 
the water of the Straits has a vifcous or glutinous 
quality, which by degrees cements the fand and gravel 
together, and at laft confolidates them to the folidity 
of rock. 

There are fine fhady walks on all fides of Mefiina ; 
fome of thefe run along the fea-fhore, and are for ever 
fanned by the cooling breeze from the Straits. The 
houfes are large, and mod of the articles of life are 
cheap and in plenty; particularly fifh, which are 
reckoned better here, than any where elfe in the 
Mediterranean, The hire of lodgings is next to noth- 
ing ; almoft one half of that noble range of buildings I 
have defcribed, being abfolutely uninhabited fince the 
defolation of 1743 ; fo that the proprietors are glad 
to get tenants on any terms. It now occurs to me, 
that from all thefe confiderations, there is no place I 
have feen, fo admirably calculated for the refidence 
of that flock of valetudinarians, which every autumn 
leave our country with the fwallows, in fearch of warm 
climates. I have been inquiring with regard to their 
winter feafon, and find all agree, that, in general, 
it is much preferable to that of Naples. They allow, 
they have fometimes heavy rain for two or three 
weeks ; but it never lafts longer ; and befides, they 
have always fome fair hours every day, when people 
can go out for exercife ; for the moment the rain 
is over, the walks are dry, the foil being a light gravel. 

D 3 The 



38 



A TOUR THROUGH 



The advantages of MelFina over Naples in other 
refpeCls, 1 think, are confiderable. At Naples there 
are no walks ; and, the truth is, they have no oc- 
cafion for them, no more indeed than they have 
for legs ; for you know as well as I, that walking 
there, is little lefs infamous than fteahng ; and any per- 
fon that makes ufe of his limbs is looked upon as a 
blackguard, and defpifed by all good company. The 
rides too are all at a great diftance ; and you are 
obliged to go fome miles on ftreets and pavement 
before you get into the country ; befides paffing the 
vile grotto of Paufillipe, where you are in danger of 
being blinded, and flifled with dull. There are feldom 
any public diverfions here ; the attending of which at 
Naples, and complying with their bad hours, does 
often more than counteract all the benefit obtained 
from the climate. That deteftable pradice of gaming 
too is by no means fo prevalent here ; which from the 
anxiety it occafions to the mind, and laffitude to 
the body, mud be death to all hedic people, weak 
breads, or delicate nerves. I could fay much more 
' on this fubject, but as 1 have many of thefe circum- 
flances only from the report of the inhabitants, it 
makes me more diffident, than if I had known them 
from my own experience. 

We found our banker, Mr. M -, a very fenfible 

man, and fpent fome hours with him, both this morning 
and evening, very agreeably. He has given us fome 
account of the police of the country, the moll fmgular, 
perhaps, of any in the world, to fuch a degree, indeed, 
that I fhall not venture to tell it you, till I have 
talked it over with fome other people, to fee if 

the accounts agree; though from the charader 

that 



SICILY AND .MALTA. 



39 



that gentleman bears, both here and at Naples, he is as 
good authority as any in the ifland. 

The prince of Villa Franca is arrived ; fo that 
we fliall probably have our audience to-morrow mor- 
ning. Adieu— We arejufi: going to fup upon (leaks 
made of the pefcefpada or fword filh, which are caught 
in great plenty in thefe feas. The fword of this one is 
upwards of four feet long ; and a formidable weapon 
it is not unlike a Highland broad fword. This fifh, 
when cut, bears a perfed refemblance to flefh ; fo 
much that none of us doubted it was beef-fteaks they 
were dreffing for us, and exprefled our furprife at find- 
ing that diih in Sicily. ^ — Good night. 



LETTER IV. 

sift. "^J^/E are jufl returned from the prince's. 

He received us politely, but with a good 
deal of flate. He offered us the ufe of his carriages, 
as there are none to be hired ; and, in the ufual ftyle, 
defired to know in what he could be of fervice to us. 
We told him (with an apology for our abrupt depar- 
ture) that v/e were obliged to fet off to-morrow, and 
begged his protection on our journey. He replied, 
that he would give orders for guards to attend us, 
that fhould be anfwerable for every thing ; that we 
need give ourfelves no farther trouble ; that whatever 
number of mules we had occafion for, fhould be ready 
at the door of the inn, at any hour we fhould think pro- 
per to appoint : H^e added, that we might entirely 
rely on thofe guards, who were people of the mod 

D4 deter« 



40 



A TOUR THROUGH 



determined refolution, as well as of the moll approved 
fidelity, and would not fail to chaftife on the fpot, any 
perfon who fhould prefume to impofe upon us. 

Now, who do you think thefe trufty guards are 
compofed of ? Why of the mofl daring, and mod har- 
dened villains, perhaps, that are to be met with upon 
earth, who, in any other country, would haye been bro- 
ken upon the wheel, or hung in chains ; but are here 
publickly protected and univerfally feared and re- 
fpedled. It was this part of the police of Sicily, that I 
was afraid to give you an account of : But I have now 
' converfed with the prince's people on the fubjed, and 
they have confirmed every circumflance Mr. M 
made me acquainted with. 

He told me, that in this eafl part of the ifland, called 
Val Demoni, (from the devils that are fuppofed to inha- 
bit mount -^tna)it ever has been found impracticable to 
extirpate the banditti ; there being numberlefs caverns 
and fubterraneous palfages in that mountain, where no 
troops could poflibly purfue them : That befides, 
as they are known to be perfedly determined and re- 
folute, never failing to take a dreadful revenge on all 
who haye offended them, the prince of Villa Franca 
has embraced it, not only as the fafeft, but likewife 
as the wifeft, and mod political fcheme, to become 
their declared patron and protector. And fuch of them 
as think proper to leave their mountains and forefts, 
though perhaps only for a time, are fure to meet with 
good encouragement, and fecurity in his fervice ; 
they enjoy the moll: unbounded confidence, which, in 
no inftance they have ever yet been found to make an 
improper or a difhoneft ufe of. They are clothed in 
the prince's livery, yellow and green, with filver lace ; 

and 



SICILY AND MALTA, 



41 



and wear likewife a badge of their honourable 
order, which entitles them to univerfal fear and refped 
from the people. 

I have juft been interrupted by an upper fervant of 
the prince's, who, both by his looks and language, 
feems to be of the fame worthy fraternity. He tells 
us, that he has ordered our muleteers, at their peril, to 
be ready by day-break ; but that we need not go till 
we think proper ; for it is their bufmefs to attend on 
nojlri eccellen%u He fays, he has likewife ordered 
two of the moil defperate fellows in the whole ifland 
to accompany us ; adding, in a fort of whifper, that we 
need be under no apprehenfion ; for if any perfon 
fliould prefume to impofe upon us to the value of a 
fmgle baiocc*, they would certainly put them to 
death. I gave him an ounce which 1 knew was what 
he expeded ; on which he redoubled his bows and his 
eccellenzis, and declared we were the mofl honorahlll 
Signori he had ever met with, and that if we pleafed, 
he himfelf fhould have the honour of attending us, and 
would chaftife any perfon that fhould dare take the 
wall of us, or injure us in the fmalleil trifle. We thank- 
ed him for his zeal, fhewing him we had fwords of our 
own. On which, bowing refpedfully, he retired. 

I can now, with more alTurance, give you fome ac- 
count of the converfation I had with Signior M— , who 
as I faid appears to be a very intelligent man, and has 
refided here for thefe many years. 

He fays, that in fome circumftances thefe banditti 
are the moft refpeftable people of the ifland ; and have 
by much the highefl and mofl: romantic notions of 

• A fmall coin. f About eleven fhillings. 

what 



42 



A TOUR THROUGH 



what they call their point of honour. That, however 
criminal they may be with regard to fociety in general ; 
yet, with refpe6: to one another, and to every perfon 
to whom they have once profeifed it, they have ever 
maintained the mod unlhaken fidelity. The magiftrates 
have often been obliged to protect them, and even 
pay them court, a^ they are known to be perfectly de- 
termined and defperate ; and fo extremely vindidive, 
that they will certainly put any perfon to deaths who 
has ever given them juft caufe of provocation. On 
the other hand, it never was known that any perfon 
who had put himfelf under their prote6lion, and 
fhewed that he had confidence in them, had caufe to 
repent of it, or was injured by any of them, in the 
moH: minute trifle ; but on the contrary, they will 
protect him from impofitions of every kind, and fcorn 
to go halves with the landlord, like moH other con- 
dudors and travelling fervants ; and will defend him 
with their lives, if there is occafion. That thofe of 
their number, who have thus enliiied themfelves in the 
fervice of fociety, are known and refpeded by the 
other banditti all over the iiland ; and the perfons of 
thofe they accompany are ever held facred. For 
thefe reafons, moil travellers chufe to hire a couple of 
them from town to town ; and may thus travel over 
the whole iiland in fafety. To illuftrate their charader 
the more, he added two ftories, which happened , but 
a few days ago, and are ftill in every body's mouth : 
A number of people were found digging in a place 
where fome treafure was fuppofed to have been hid 
during the plague: As this had been forbid under 
the mod fevere penalties, they were immediately 
carried to prifon, and expeded to have been treated 
5 withoux 



SICILY AND MALTA. 43 

without mercy ; but luckily for the others, one of 
thefe heroes happened to be of the number. He 
wrote to the Prince of Villa Franca, and made ufe of 
fuch powerful arguments in their favour, that they 
were all immediately fet at liberty. 

This will ferve to fhow their confequence with the 
civil power ; the other flory will give you a ftrong 
idea of their barbarous ferocity, and the horrid mix- 
ture of ftubborn vice and virtue (if I may call it by 
that name ) that feems to dired their adions. I fhould 
have mentioned, that they have a practice of borrow- 
ing money from the country people, who never dare 
refufe them ; and if they promife to pay it, they have 
ever been found pundual and exaft, both as to the 
time and the fum ; and would much rather rob and 
murder an innocent perfon, than fail of payment at 
the day appointed : And this they have often been 
obliged to do, only in order (as they fay) to fulfii 
their engagements, and to fave their honour. 

It happened within this fortnight, that the brother 
of one of thefe heroic banditti having occafion for 
money, and not knowing how to procure it, deter- 
mined to make ufe of his brother's name and autho- 
rity, an artifice which he thought could not eafily be 
difcovered ; accordingly he went to a country prieft, 
and told him his brother had occafion for twenty 
ducats, which he defired he would hnmediately lend 
him. The priefl: alTured him that he had not then fo 
large a fum, but that if he would return in a few days 
it fhould be ready for him. The other replied, that he 
was afraid to return to his brother with this anfwer; and 
defired, that he would by all means take care to keep 
out of his v/ay at lead till fuch time as he had pacified. 

him ; 



44 



A TOUR THROUGH 



Ilim ; otherwife he could not be anfwerable for the ^ 
confequences.—As bad fortune v/ould have it, the 
very next day the pneii and the robber met in a nar- 
row road; the former fell a-trembling, as the latter 
approached 3 and at lait dropped on his knees to beg 
for mercy. The robber, aftonifhed at his behaviour, 
defired to know the caufe of it. The trembling 
priell anfwered ; " II denaro, ii denaro/' the money, 
the money^ — but fend your brother to-morrow, and 
you fhall have it. The haughiy robber aiTured him, 
that he difdained taking money of a poor priefl ; 
adding, that if any of his brothers had been low 
enough to make fuch a demand, he himfelf was 
ready to advance the fum. The priefl: then acquainted 
him with the vifit he had received the preceding night 
from his brother, by his order ; afuiring him, that if 
he had been mailer of the fum, he fliould immedi- 
ately have fupplied it.— Well, fays the robber, I will 
iiovv convince you v/hether my brother or I are moft 
to be believed ; you fliall go with me to his houfe, 
which is buc a few miles difrant. — On their arrival 
before the door, the robber called on his brother, 
who never fufpeding the difcovery, immediately came 
to the balcony ; but on perceiving the priefl, he 
began to make excufes for his conduct. The robber 
told him, there was no excufe to be made ; that he 
only defired to know the fad. Whether he had gone 
to borrow money of that priefl in his name or not ? — 
On his owning he had, the robber with deliberate 
coolnefs lifted his blunderbufs to his fhoulder, and 
fhot him dead ; and turning to the aflonifhed priefl. 
You will now be perfuaded," faid he, " that I 
had no intention of robbing you at leaft." 

You 



SICILY AND MALTA. 



45^ 



You may now judge how happy we mufl be m 
the company of our guards. I don't know but this 
very hero may be one of them ; as we are alTured 
they are twa of the moft intrepid and refolute fel- 
lows in the ifland. I will not ciofe this letter, till I 
give you fome account of our journey. In the mean 
time, adieu. We are going to take a look of the 
churches and public buildings ; but with thefe I lhall 
trouble you very little. 

2 ill at night. We have been very well entertained, 
both from what we have feen and heard. We ufed 
to admire the dexteritv of fome of the divers at 
Naples, when they went to the depth of forty-eight 
or fifty feet, and could not conceive how a man could 
remain three minutes under water without drawing 
breathy but thefe are nothing to the feats of one 
Colas, a native of this place, who is faid to have lived 
for feveral days in the fea, without coming to land ; 
and from thence got the firname of Pefce, or the fiUi. 
Some of the Sicilian authors afErm, that he caught 
filli merely by his agility in the water; and the credu- 
lous Kirchcr afferts, that he could walk acrofs the 
Straits at the bottom of the fea. — Be that as it will, 
he was fo much celebrated for fwimming and diving, 
that one of their kings (Frederick) came on purpofe 
to fee him perform : which royal vifit proved fatal to 
poor Pefce ; for the kiag, after admiring his wonder- 
ful force and agility, had the cruelty to propofe his 
diving near the gulph of Charybdis and to tempt 
him the more, threw in a large golden cup, which 
was to be his prize flaould he bring it up. Pefce made 
two attempts, and aftonilhed the fpe«Stators by the 
time, he remained under water ; but in the third, it 

is 



46 



A TOUR THROUGH 



is thought he was caught by the whh-lpool, as he 
never appeared more ; and his body is faid to have 
been found fome time afterwards near Taurominura 
(about thirty miles diftant), it having been obferved, 
that what is fwallowed up by Charybdis is carried 
fouth by the current, and thrown out upon that 
coaft. On the contrary, nothing wrecked here was 
ever carried through the Straits, or thrown out on 
the north fide of Sicily, unlefs we believe what Ho- 
mer fays of the fliip of UlylTes. 

We have been again to take a view of the Straits 
at this famous whirlpool, and M'e more and more 
convinced, that it muft be infinitely diminifhed ; in- 
deed, in comparifon of what it was, almoft reduced 
to nothing. The fea appeared to have no extraor- 
dinary motion there, and ihips and boats feemed to 
pafs it with eafe. When we compare this its prefent 
flate, with the formidable defcription of fo many 
ancient authors, poets, hiftorians, and philofophers, 
it appears indeed not improbable that this ifland has 
been torn from the continent by fome violent convul- 
fion, and that near to this fpot huge caverns have 
been opened, which, drinking in the waters in one 
courfe of the current, and throwing them out in the 
other, may perhaps in fome meafure account for the 
phenomena of Charybdis. — I fmd it is defcribed both 
by Homer and Virgil, as alternatively fwallowing up, 
and throwing out every objed that approached it *. 



* Dextrum Scylla latus, tevum implacata Charybdis 
Obfidet, atque imo barathri ter gurg'ite vaJlos 
Sorbet in abruptum fludus, rurfufque fub auras 
Ei:;igit aiternos, et fidera verbcrat unda. 

NoWj 



SICILY AND MALTA. 



47 



Now, IS it , not probable, that thefe caverns in procefs 
of time have been, in a great meafure, filled up by 
the immenfe quantities of rocks, fand, gravel, &c. 
that were perpetually carried in by the force of the 
current? — I own I am not quite fatisfied with this fo- 
lution, but at prefent I cannot think of a better :- — 
The fa6t, however, is certain, that it muft have been 
a dreadful objed even in Virgil's time, elfe he never 
would have made ^neas and his fleet perceive its 
effeds at fo great a dilfance, and immediately run out 
to fea to avoid it ; nor would he have made Helenus 
at fuch pains to caution him againft that dangerous 
gulph, and advife him rather to make the whole tour 
of Sicily than attempt to pafs it. Indeed, it is fo 
often mentioned both in the voyage of ^neas and 
UlylTes, and always in fuch frightful terms, that we 
cannot doubt of its having been a very terrible ob- 
jea *, 

After 



* Seneca gives tills account of it in a letter to Lucullus: 
" Scyllam faxuni eiTe, et quidem terribile navigantibus optime 
" fcio ; Charybdis an refpondeat fiibulis perfcribi mihi defi- 
*' dero, fac nos certiores, utrum uno tantum vento agatur in 
*' vortices, an omnis temperas, ac mare illud contorqueat, et 
" an verum lit quldquid illo freti turbine abreptum eil:/' &c. 

And the following is a tranflatlon from Strabo. 

** Ante urbem Pdululum in trajeftu Charybdis oftenditur : 
** Profunduin quidem immenfum : Quo inundationes freti : 
•* mirum in modum navigla detrahunt : magnas per circum- 
*' 'du(5liones, et vortices precipitata, quibns abforptis, ac difTo- 
** lutis ; naufragiorum fragmenta ad Tauromitanum littus 
** attrahuntur, &c. 



"Eft 



48 



A TOUR THROUGH 



After feeing the beautiful harbour of Meflina, we 
have found nothing much worthy of notice in the 
city. Some of the churches are handfome, and there 
are a few tolerable paintings. One ceremony from 
the account they give of it, I fhould hke much to 
have feen : The celebration of the feaft of the Vara. 
It appears, indeed, to be a very fmgular exhibition, 
and I am heartily forry it does not happen at this fea- 
fon. In order to the more dignified appearance of 
the Virgin Mary on this occafion, they have invented a 
very curious machine, which I am told reprefents 
heaven, or at lead a part of it. It is of a huge fize, 
and moves through the ftreet with vaft pomp and 
ceremony. In the center is the principal figure, 
which reprefents the Virgin ; and a little higher, 
there are three others to denote the Trinity. Round 
thefe, there are a number of v/heels, faid to be of a 
very curious conftrudion. Every wheel contains a 
legion of angels, according to their different degrees 
of precedency; feraphirns, cherubims, and powers. 
Thefe are reprefented by a great number of beautiful 
little chidren, all glittering in clothes of gold and filver 
tiffue ; with wings.of painted feathers fixed to their 
fioulders. When the machine is fet in motion, all 
thefe wheels move round, and the different choirs of 
angels continue in a conftant flutter, finging Halle- 



« Eft igitur Chary bdis, (fays Sallufl;) mare periculofum 
** nautis ; quod contrariis fluduum curfibus, collifionem facit, 
*< et rapta quoque ablbrbet.'* 

But thefe are moderate indeed when compared to the de- 
fcriptions of the poets. 

}ujahs 



SICILY AND' MALTA, 49 

lujahs round the Trinity and the Virgin during the 
whole of the proceffi.on, and are faid to make a moft 
beautiful appearance. This is all I could learn of 
this fingular fhow, neither were we admitted to fee 
the machine ; confcious, I fuppofe, of the ridicule 
of which it is fufceptible^ they did not chufe to un- 
veil fo facred an objed to the eyes of heretics.— This 
ifland has ever been famous for the celebration of its 
feafts, even in ancient as well as modern times. They 
fpare no expence ; and as they have a large fhare 
both of fuperflition and invention, they never fail to 
produce fomething either very fine, or very ridicU" 
lous. The feaft of St. Rofolia at Palermo is faid to 
be the fineft fhow in Europe, and cofts that city 
every year a large fum. They alTure us there is more 
tafte and magnificence difplayed in it,, than in any 
thing of the kind in Italy ; and advife us by all means 
to attend it, as it happens fome time near the middle 
of fummei-j when we fhall probably be in that end 
of the illand. 

If you pleafe we fhall now take, leave of Meilina; 
— did not expert to make fo much out of it.-*— - 
But it would not be fair neither : without at leafl 
putting you in mind of the great veneration it has 
ever been held in by the reft of Sicily, for the affift- 
ance it gave to Count Rugiero in freeing the ifland 
from the yoke of the Saracens ; in confideration of 
which, great privileges were granted it by the fuc- 
ceeding kings ; fome of which are faid flill to remain^ 
It was here that the Normans landed ; and this city^ 
by the policy of fome of its own inhabitants, was 
the firft conquefl they made ; after which their vie* 
torious arms , were foon extended over the whole 

E ifland J 



A TOUR THROUGJi 



ifland ; and a final period put to the Saracen tyranny. 
Count Rugiero fixed the feat of government at Pa- 
lermo ; and put the political fyitem of the ifland upon 
a folid bafis ; of which the form (and the form alone) 
ftill remains to this day. He divided the whole 
ifland into three parts ; one he gave to his officers^ 
another to the church, and a third he referved for* 
himfelf. Of thefe three branches he compofed his 
parliament, that refpe^able body, of which the fl^e- 
ieton only nov/ exifl:s : for it has long ago loll all its 
blood, nerves, and animal fpirits 5 and for many ages 
pail has been reduced to a perfed caput mortuum. 
The fuperftitious tyranny of Spain has not only de- 
ftroyed the national fpirit of its own inhabitants, but 
likewife that of every other country which has fallen 
under its powen Adieu* 

Ever yours. 

P. S. x^ipropos ! There is on^ thing I had almofl 
forgot, and I never fliould have forgiven myfelf. Do 
you know, the mod extraordinary phasnomenon in the 
world is often obferved near to this place ? I laugh'd 
at it at firft, as you will do ; but I am now convinced 
of its reality ; and am perfuaded too^ that if ever it 
had been thoroughly examined by a philofophical eye, 
the natural catife muft long ago have been afllgned. 

It has often been remarked, both by the ancients 
and moderns, that in the heat of fummer, after the 
fea and air have been much agitated by winds^ and a 
perfe£i calm fucceeds, there appears, about the time 
of dav/D, in that part of the heavens over the Straits^ 
a great variety of fingular forms, fome at reft and 
fome moving about with great velocity, Tbefe forms^ 
, , ' in 



SICILY AND MALTA* 5I 

in proportion as the light increafes, feem to become 
more aerial ; till at laft, fome time before fun-rife, 
they entirely difappear. 

The Sicilians reprefent this as the mofl beautiful 
fight in nature ; Leanti, one of their latefl and bed 
writers, came here on purpofe to fee it : He fays, the 
heavens appear crowded >vith a variety of objedts : 
He mentions palaces, woods, gardens, &c. befides 
the figures of men, and other animals, that appear 
in motion amongft them. No doubt, the imagina- 
tion muft be greatly aiding, in forming this aerial 
creation ; but as fo many of their authors, both an- 
-cient and modern, agree in the fa6l, and give an 
account of it from their own obfervation, there cer- 
tainly muft be fome foundation for the flory. There 
is one Giardina, a Jefuit, who has lately written a 
treatife on this phssnomenon, but I have not been 
able to find it : The celebrated Meilinefe Gallo has 
likewife publifhed fomething on this fmgular fubjeO: ; 
if I can procure either of them in the ifland, you fliall 
have a more perfect account of it. The common 
people, according to cuftom, give the whole merit to 
the devil ; and indeed it is by much the fhorteft and 
eafieft w^ay of accounting for it : Thole who pretend 
to be philofophers, and refufe him this honour, are 
greatly puzzled what to make of it. They think 
it may be owing to fome uncommon refraction, 
or refledion of the rays, from the water of the 
Straits ; which, as it is at that time carried about in a 
variety of eddies and vortexes, muft confequently, fay 
they, make a variety of appearances on any medium 
where it is reflected. This, I think, is nonfenfe ; or, 
at lead, very near it j and till they can fay more to 

E 2 the 



A tOUR THROUGH 



the piirpofe, I think they had much better have left 
it in the hands of the old gentleman. I fufpect it h 
fomething in the nature of our Aurora Borealis ; and^ 
like many of the great phsenomena of nature, depends 
upOn eledrical caufes ; which, in future ages, I have 
little doubt, will be found to be as powerful an agent 
in regulating the univerfe, as gravity is in this age, 
or as the fubtile fluid was in the lafl. 

The eledrical fluid, in this country of volcanos, is 
probably produced in much greater quantity than in 
any other. The air (trongly impregnated with this 
matter, and confined betwixt two ridges of moun^ 
tains ; at the fame time exceedingly agitated from 
below by the violence of the current, and the impe-* 
tuous whirling of the waters ; may it not be fuppofed 
to produce a variety of appearances ? And may not 
the lively Siciliati imaginations, animated by a belief 
in daemons, and all the wild oflTspring of fupeffliitionj 
give thefe appearances as great a variety of forms ? 
Remember, I do not fay it is fo j and hope yet to 
have it in my power to give you a better account of 
this matter. However, if you jfhould fuppofe me in 
this flory, or in any future one I may tell you^ to be 
inclined to the fabulous, you will pieafe to remember^ 
that I am now in the country of fable ; this ifland 
having given rife to more perhaps, except Greece, 
than all the world befide. You have, therefore, only 
to fiip'pofe that thefe regions are ftill contagious; 
and call to mind that mount ^Etna has ever been the 
great mother of monfters and chimeras both in the' 
ancient and the modern world. However, I fliall, if 
poflible^ keep free of the infe£lion, and entertaiii 
you only ivith fuch fubjecls as fall under my own ob^ 

fervation^ 



SICILY AND MALTA. 



53 



fervatlon. But indeed, from what I have already 
heard of that wonderful mountain, the mod moderate 
account of it would appear highly fabulous to all 
fuch as are unacquainted with objeds of this kind. 
Adieu. We think of fetting off to-morrow by day- 
break. I am forry it has not been a ftorm, that we 
might have had a chance of feeing Pandemonium 
reared over our heads, and all the devils at work 
around it. 

I (hall leave this to be fent by the firfh pod, and 
lhall write you again from Catania, if we efcape un» 
hurt from all the perils of iEtna, 

Adieu. 



LETTER V. 

Giardini, near Taurominum, May 22d. 
"^^/y E have had a delightful journey, and if ali 
Sicily be but as agreeable, we fliall not repent 
of our expedition. We left MefTma early this morn- 
ing, with fix mules for ourfelves and fervants, and' 
two for our baggage. This train, I affure you, makes 
no contemptible appearance ; particularly when you 
call to mind our front and rear-guard ; by ttiuch the 
mod confpicuous part of it. Thefe are two gre^t 
drawcanfir figures, armed cap-a-pie, with a broad 
hanger, two enormous piflols, and a long arquebufe : 
This they kept cock'd and ready for a^ion in ali fuf- 
picious places ; where they recounted abundance of 
wonderful dories of robberies and murders ; fome 
of them with fuch very minute circumdances, that I 

E 3 am 



54 



A TOUR THROUGH 



am fully perfuaded they themfelves were the princi-' ' 
pal adors. However, I look upon our fituation as 
perfedlly fecure ; they pay us great refped:, and take 
the utinofl pains that we fhall not be impofed upon. 
Indeed, I think they impofe upon every body except 
us ; for they tax the bills according to their pleafure ; 
and fuch cheap ones I never paid before. To-day's 
dinner for eleven men (our three muleteers included) 
and feeding for ten mules and horfes, did not amount 
to half a guinea. And, although we pay them high, 
(an ounce a day each) yet I am perfuaded they fave 
us at leafl: one half of it on our bills. They enter- 
tained us with fome of their feats, and make no 
fcruple of owning their having put feveral people 
to death ; but add, Mas tutti, tutti honorabil- 

mente,"-r-That is to fay, they did not do it in a 
daftardly manner, nor without jull provocation. 

The fea-coaft of Sicily is very rich ; the fides of 
fome of the mountains are highly cultivated, and 
prefent the moll agreeable afped that can be ima- 
gined; — corn, wine, oil, and filk, all mixed toge- 
ther, and in the greateft abundance : However, the 
cultivated part is but fmall in proportion to what is 
lying wafte, and only fsrves to fliew the great fertility 
of this illand, v/ere it peopled, and in induftrious 
hands. The fides of the road are covered with a 
variety of flowers and of flowering fhrubs ; fome of 
them exceedingly beautiful. The inclofures are many 
of them fenced with hedges of the Indian fig, or 
prickly pear ; as in Spain and Portugal ; and our 
guides aifure us, that in many of the parched ravines 
round ^tna, there are plenty of trees which pro« 
duce both cinnamon and pepper 5 not fo itrong, they 

allow^ 



SICILY AND MALTA. 55 

allow, as thofe of the fpice iflands, but which are fold 
to the merchants at a low price^ by a fet of banditti, 
who drefs themfelves like hermits : Thefe fpices are 
mixed with the true pepper and cinnamon from the 
Indies, and fent over all Europe. 

The road from MefTma to this place is extremely 
romantic. It lies the whole way along the coafl, and 
commands the view of Calabria, and the fouth part 
of the Straits ; covered with chebecs, galleys, gal- 
liots, and a quantity of filhing boats. The view on 
the right hand is confined by high mountains, on the 
very fummits of which they have built feveral confix 
derable towns and villages, which with their churches 
and fteeples make a very pidurefque appearance. 
They have chofen this elevated fituation, I fuppofe^ 
with a double view ; to proted them both from their 
enemies, and from the violent heat of the climate : 
This forenoon we found it exceffive, but had the fined 
fwimming in the world before dinner ; which kept us 
cool and frefh for all the reft of the day. We have 
befides provided ourfelves with umbrellas, without 
which, at this feafon, travelling would be imprac- 
ticable. 

Betwixt this place and MelTma, a little to the 
right, He the mountains, formerly called the Ne- 
brodes ; and likewife the mountain of Neptune, 
which is reckoned the higheft of that chains. It is 
celebrated for a gulph or crater on its fummit, from 
whence, at particular times, there iffues an exceeding 
cold wind, with fuch violence that it is difficult, to 
approach it. I was forry to pafs this fingular moun- 
tain, but it would have delayed us a day or two to 
vifit it and we are haftening with impatience to a 

E 4 much 



56 



A TOUR THROUGH 



much greater object: it is now named ir monte 
Scuderio, and is faid to be fo high that the Adriatic 
can be feen from its fummit. From the defcription 
they give of it, it appears evidently to be an old vol- 
cano. The Niffo takes its rife from this mountain 5 
a river renowned in antiquity for the gold found in 
its channel ; for which reafon, it was by the Greeks 
called Chryfothoas. It is faid, the remains of the 
ancient gold mines are ftill to be feen near the fource 
of this river ; but the modern mailers of Sicily have 
never been enterprifmg enough to explore them. 
It was on this charming coaft, where the flocks of 
Apollo were kept by his daughters, Phsethufa and 
Lampetie ; the feizing of which by UlylTes* compa- 
nions, proved the caufe of their deaths, and of all his 
fubfequent misfortunes. The mountain of Tauro- 
mina is very high and fteep, and the road up to it is 
exceedingly rugged. 

This once famous city is now reduced to an infig- 
nificant burgh ; yet even thefe fmall remains give a 
high idea of its former magnificence. The theatre, 
I think, is accounted the largeft in the world. It 
appears to me greatly fuperior to that of Adrian's 
villa near Rome. It is entire enough, to give a very 
tolerable idea of the Roman theatre, and indeed 
aftonifhes by its vaflnefs ; nor can I conceive how any 
voice could extend through the prodigious number 
of people it muft have contained. I paced about 
one quarter of it ; over the boxes that were intended 
for the women, which is not near the outward circle 
of all 5 the reft is fo broken, that I could get no far- 
ther. It meafured about 120 ordinary fteps, fo that 
you may coiiceive the greatnefs of the whole. The 

feats 



SICILY AND MALTA. 57 

feats front mount JEtna, which makes a glorious 
appearance from this place ; and no doubt has oftea 
diverted their attention from the fcene. It arifes 
from an immenfe bafe, and mounts equally on all 
lides to its fummit : It is juft now throwing out vo- 
lumes of white fmoke, which do not rife in the air, 
but feem to roll down the fide of the mountain like a 
vaft torrent. The afcent of -^tna on each fide is com- 
puted at about 30 miles, and the circumference of its 
bafe at 150: I think it does not appear to be fo 
much ; but I lhall probably be enabled to give you a 
fuller account of it afterwards. 

After admiring the great theatre of Taurominum, 
we went to examine the Naumachia, and the refer- 
voirs for fupplying it with water. About 1 50 paces 
of one fide of the wall of the Naumachia remains ; 
but as this is not complete, there is no judging of its 
original dimenfions. This is fuppofed to have been 
a large fquare, inclofed with ftrong walls, and ca- 
pable of being filled with water on occafion ; intended 
for the exhibition of fea-fights, and all naval exer-. 
cifes : There were four refervoirs for fupplying this 
with water. All are upon the fame grand fcale. One 
of thefe is almoft entire ; it is fupported by a great 
number of ftrong pillars, in the fame manner as thofe 
of Titus' baths at Rome, and fever al others you may 
have feen in Italy. — I would dwell longer on objefts 
of this kind ; but I am perfuaded defcriptions can 
give but a very imperfed idea of them ; and to mark 
out the precife dimenfions with a mathematical^ 
ftxactnefs, where there is nothing very remarkable, 
mufi: furely be but a dry work, both to the writer 
iiid reader. I fhall therefore content myfelf (i hope 

it 



58 



A TOUR THROUGH 



it will content you too) with endeavouring to com- 
municate, as entire as pofllble, t e fame impreffion I 
myfelf lhall receive, without defcending too much to 
particulars, or fatiguing myfelf or you with the 
menfuration of antique walls, merely becaufe they are 
fuch, except where there is indeed fomething very 
ftriking and different too, from what has already been 
defcribed in Italy, 

I own I defpair of fuccefs : Few things I believe 
in writing being more difficult than thus " s'emparer 

de rimagination,'* to feize, — to make ourfelves 
mailers of the reader's imagination, to carry it along 
with us through every fcene, and make it in a man- 
ner congenial with our own ; every profpe6t opening 
upon him with the fame light, and arifing in the fame 
colours, and at the fame inftant too, as upon us : 
For where defcriptions fail in this, the pleafure of 
reading them mufl be very trivial. Now, perhaps, 
this fame journal flyle is the mod favourable of any 
to produce thefe effedls. It is at lead the moft agree- 
able to the writer; who never has his fubjeQ: to 
feek, but needs only recoiled what has paffed fince 
he laft laid down the pen, and travel the day over 
again ; and if he travels it to good purpofe, it ought 
to be equally agreeable to the reader too, who 
thereby becomes one of the party, and bears a fhare 
in all the pleafures of the journey without fuSering 
from the fatigues of it. 

One of my greateft difficulties, I fee, will be the 
finding proper places to write in, for the inns are al- 
together execrable, and there is no fuch thing as 
getting a room to one's felf : I am juft now writing - 
on the end of a barrel^ which I chofe rather than the 

tablcj 



SICILY AND MALTA, 59 

table, as It is farther removed from noife. I muft 
therefore entreat you, once for all, to excufe incor- 
rednefs and want of method. How can one be me- 
thodical upon a barrel! — It has ever been the moft 
declared enemy to method. You might, as well expedt 
a fermon from Bacchus, or a coherent fpeech from 
our friend lord — ; — after he has finifhed the third 
bottle. You will be pleafed then juft to take things 
as they occur. Were I obliged to be ftridly metho- 
dical, I fliould have no pleafure in writing you thefe 
letters ; and then, if my pofition is juft, you could 
have no pleafure in reading them. 

Our guards have procured us beds ; though not 
in the town of Taurominum, but in Giardini, a vil- 
lage at the foot of the mountain on which it ftands. 
The people are extremely attentive, and have pro- 
duced us an excellent fupper and good wine, which 
now waits — but Ihall wait no longer. Adieu. To- 
morrow we intend to climb mount iEtna on this (its 
eaft) fide, if we find it practicable. 

Ever yours. 



LETTER VI. 

Catania, May 24. 

J AM already almoft two days in arrears. Yefterday 
we were fo much fatigued with the abominable 
roads of mount ^tna, that I was not able to wield 
a pen ; and to-day, I affure you, has by no means 
been a day of reft ^ however, I muft not delay any 

longer, 



A TOITR THROUGH 



longer, otherwife I fhall never be able to make up my 
lee-way. I am afraid you will fufFer more from the 
fatigues of the journey than I at firfl: apprehended. 

We left Giardini at five o'clock. About half a 
mile farther the firfl region of mount ^tna begins, 
and here they have fetupthe flatue of a faint, for 
having prevented the lava from running up the moun- 
tain of Taurominum, and deilroying the adjacent coun- 
try ; which the people think it certainly mufl have 
done, had it not been for this kind interpofition ^ but 
he very wifely, as well as humanely, condudted it down 
a low valley to the fea. 

We left the Catania road on the left, and began to 
afcend the mountain, in order to vifit the celebrated 
tree, known by the name of // Caftagno de Cento CavalU 
(the chefnut tree of a hundred horfe); which for 
fome centuries pad has been looked upon as one of the 
greatefl wonders of ^tna. We had Hkewife propofed 
(if poflible) to gain the fummit of the mountain by 
this fide, and to defcend by the fide of Catania ; but 
we were foon convinced of the impofiibility of this, 
and obliged, with a good deal of reluctance, to relin^ 
quifh that part of our fcheme. 

As w^e advanced in the firfl region of j^ltna, we 
obferved that there had been eruptions of fire all over 
this country at a great diflance from the fummit, or 
principal crater of the mountain. On our road to the 
village of Piedmonte, I took notice of feveral very con- 
fiderable craters ; and flones of a large fize, fcattered 
all around, that had been difcharged from them. Thefe 
ftones are precifely fuch as are thrown out of the crater 
of mount Vefuvius ; and indeed, the lava too feems to. 
be of the fame nature, though rather more porous. 



SIGIL^ AND MAtfA. ! St 



The diflance from Giardini to Piedmonte Is only ten 
miles, but as the road is exceedingly rough and difficult, 
we took near four hours to travel it. The barometer, 
which at Giardini (on the fea fide) flood at 29 inches 
ten lineSj had now fallen to 27 : 3. Farenheit's ther- 
mometer (made by Mr, Adams in London) 73 
degrees. We found the people extremely curious 
and inquifitive to know our errand, which when we 
told, many of them offered to accompany us. Of 
thefe we chofe two ; and after drinking our tea, which 
was matter of great fpeculation to the inhabitants, who 
had never before feen a breakfafl of this kind, we 
began to climb the mountain. 

We were directed for five or fix miles of our road 
by an aquedu(Sl:, which the prince of Palagonia has 
made at a great expence, to fupply Piedmonte with 
water. After we left the aqueduct, the afcent became 
a good deal more rapid, till we arrived at the beginning 
of the fecond region, called by the natives la Regione 
Syhofa^ or the woody region ; becaufe it is compofed 
of one vafl foreft, that extends all around the moun- 
tain. Part of this was deflroyed by a very fmgular 
event, not later than the year 1755. — During an 
eruption of the volcano, an immenfe torrent of boiling 
water iffued, as is imagined, from the great crater of 
the mountain, and in an inflant poured down to its 
bafe ; overwhelming and ruining every thing it met 
with in its courfe. Our conductors fhewed us th« 
traces of this torrent, which are flill very vifible ; but 
are now beginning to recover verdure and vegetation, 
which for fome time appeared to have been loft. The 
track it has left, feems to be about a mile and a half 
broad j and in fome places fliJI more. 

Tie 



A TOUR THROUGH 



The common opinion, I find, is that this waterway 
iraifed by the power of fudion, through fome commu- 
nication betwixt the volcano and the fea ; the abfurdity 
of which is too glaring to need a refutation. The 
power of fudion alone, even fuppofmg a perfed 
vacuum, could never raife water to more than thirty- 
three or thirty-four feet, which is equal to the weight 
of a column of air the whole height of the atmof- 
phere. But this circumftance, I fhould imagine, might 
- be eafily enough accounted for ; either by a ftream of 
lava falling fuddenly into one of the vallies of fnow 
that occupy the higher regions of the mountain, and 
melting it down : or, what I think is ftill more 
probable, that the melted fnow, finding vafl caverns 
and refervoirs in the mountain, where it is lodged for 
fome time, till the exceiTive heat of the lava below 
burfts the fides of thefe caverns, produces this phss-^ 
nomenon, which has been matter of great fpeculation 
to the Sicilian philofophers, and has employed the pens 
of feveral of them. The fame thing happened in an 
eruption of Vefuvius lafi: century, and in an inilant 
fwept away about 500 people, who were marching in 
proceilion at the foot of the mountain, to implore the 
mediation of St. Januarius. 

Near to this place we pafTed through fome beautiful 
Woods of cork and ever-green oak, growing abfolutely 
out of the lava, the foil having as yet hardly filled the 
crevices of that porous fubflance ; and, not a great 
way father, I obferved feveral little mountains that 
feemed to have been formed by a late eruption. I dif- 
nlounted from my mule, and climbed to the top of 
them all. They are feven in number ; every one of 
thera with a regular cup or crater on the top, and in 

fome 



Sicily and malta^ 6^ 

fome the great gulph or (a^ they call it) Foraging ^ 
that had difcharged the burnt matter of which thefe 
little mountains are formed j is ftill open. I tumbled 
ftones down into thefe gulphs, and heard the noife 
for a long time after. All the fields round, to a con-* 
fiderable diftance, are covered with large burnt ftones 
difcharged from thefe little volcanos. 

From this place, it is not lefs than five or fix miles 
to the great chefnut-trees, through forefts growing 
out of the lava, in feveral places almoft impaffable. 
Of thefe trees there are many of an enormous fize ; 
but the Caftagno de Cento Cavalli is by much the 
mofl celebrated. I have even found it marked in ail 
old map of Sicily, publifhed near an hundred years 
ago ; and in all the maps of j^tna, and its environs, 
it makes a very confpicuous figure, I own I was by 
no means flruck with its appearance, as it does not 
feem to be one tree, but a bufh of five large trees 
growing together. We complained to our guides of 
the impofition ^ when they unanimoufly afiured us, 
that by the univerfal tradition and even tellimotiy of 
the country, all thefe were once united in one flem ; 
that their grand-fathers remembered this, when it was 
looked upon as the glory of the forefl, and vifited 
from all quarters ; that for many years pafl it had 
been reduced to the venerable ruin we beheld. We 
began to examine it with more attention, and found 
that there was indeed an appearance as if thefe five 
trees had really been once united in one. The opening 
in the middle is at prefent prodigious ; and it does 
indeed require faith to believe, that fo vafl a fpace 
was once occupied by folid timber — But there is no 
appearance of bark on the infide of any of the flumps, 
■4 nor 



64 



A TOUR THROUGH 



nor on the fides that are oppofite to one another. 
Glover and I meafured it feparately, and brought it 
exaftly to the fame fize ; viz. 204 feet round. If 
this was once united in one folid ftem, it oiuft with 
juftice indeed have been looked upon as a very won^ 
derful phcenomenon in the vegetable world, and was 
defervedly fly led the glory of the foreft. 

I have fince been told by the Canonico Recupero^ 
an ingenious ecclefiaftic of this place, that he was at 
the expence of carrying up peafants with tools to dig 
round the Caftagno de Cento Cavalli, and he affures 
me, upon his honour, that he found all thefe ftems 
united below ground in one root. I alleged that fo 
extraordinary an object mufl have been mentioned by 
many of their writers. He told me that it had, and 
produced feveral examples ; Philateo, Carrera, and 
fome others. Carrera begs to be excufed from telling 
its dimenfions, but fays, he is fure there was wood 
enough in that one tree to build a large palace. Their 
poet Bagohni too has celebrated a tree of the fame 
kind, perhaps the fame tree * ; and Maifa, one of 
their mofl efteemed authors, fays he has feen folid 
oaks upwards of 40 feet round ; but adds, that the fize 
of the chefnut-trees was beyond belief, the hollow of 
X)ne of which, he fays, contained 300 flieep ; and 30 
people on horfeback had often been in it at a time. 
I fhall not pretend to fay, that this is the fame tree 
he means j or whether it ever was one tree or not* 



* Supremos inter montes monftrofior omni 
Monftrofi fetum ftipitis Mvar dedit 
Gaftaneam geniik, cujus modo concava cortex 
r Turmam equitum haud parvam coiuinet, atque greges, &c* 

Ther^ 



SICILY AND MALTA." 5? 

There are many others that are well defervlng the 
Guriofity of travellers. One of thefe, about a mile 
and a half higher on the mountain, is called // 
Caftagno del Galea ; it rifes from one folid flem to a 
confiderable height, after which it branches out, and 
is a much finer objed than the other. I meafured it 
about two feet from the ground, and found it 76 feet 
round; There is a third called // Caftagno del Nave, 
that is pretty nearly of the fame fize. All thefe 
grow on a thick rich foil, formed originally, I believe, 
of afhes thrown out by the mountain. 

The climate here is much more temperate than in 
the firffc region of ^tna, where the exceffive heats 
muft ever prevent a very luxuriant vegetation. I 
found the barometer had now fallen to 26 : 5I ; 
which announces an elevation of very near 4000 feet ; 
equivalent in the opinion of fome of the French aca- 
demicians, to 18 or 20 degrees of latitude in the 
formation of a climate. 

The vaft quantity of nitre contained in the afhes of 
^tna, probably contributes greatly to increafe the lux- 
uriance of this vegetation ; and the air too, ftrongly 
impregnated with it from the fmoke of the volcano, 
mull create a conflant fupply of this fait, termed by 
fome, not without reafon, the food of vegetables. 

There is the ruins of a houfe in the infide of the 
great chefnut-tree which had been built for holding 
the fruit it bears, which is ftill confiderable ; here we 
dined with excellent appetite, and being convinced, 
that it was in vain to attempt getting to the top of 
the mountain on that fide, we began to defcendj 
_;ind after a very fatiguing journey over old lavas, 
now become fertile fields and rich vineyards, we ar- 

F rived 



66 A TOUR THROUGH 

rived about funfet at Jaci Reale^ where, with no final! 
difficulty, we at laft got lodging in a convent of Do- 
minicans. 

The lafl lava we crofled before our arrival there, is 
of a vaft extent, I thought we never fhould have had 
done with it ; it certainly is not lefs than fix or feven 
miles broad, and appears in many places to be of an 
enormous depth. 

When we came near the fea, I was defirous to fee 
what form it had affumed in meeting with the water* 
I went to examine it, and found it had driven back 
the waves for upwards of a mile, and had formed a 
large black high promontory, where before it was 
deep water. This lava, I imagined, from its barren- 
nefs, for it is as yet covered with a very fcanty foil, 
had run from the mountain only a few ages ago ; 
but was furprifed to be informed by Signor Recu- 
pero, the hiftoriographer of ^tna, that this very 
lava is mentioned by Diodorus Siculus to have burlt 
from ^tna in the time of the fecond Punic war, 
when Syracufe was befieged by the Romans. A 
detachment vv^as fent from T^urominum to the relief 
of the befieged. They were (lopped on their march 
by this flream of lava, which having reached the fea 
before their arrival at the foot of the mountain, had 
cut off their paflage ; and obliged them to return by 
the back of ^tna, upwards of icq miles about. His 
authority for this, he tells me, was taken from in- 
fcriptions on Roman monuments found on this lava, 
and that it was like wife well afcertained by many of 
the old Sicilian authors. Now as this is about 2000 
years ago, one would have imagined, if lavas have a 
regular progrefs ia becoming fertile fields, that this 

mufl 



SICILY AND MALTA. 



^7 



muft long ago have become at lead arable : this 
however is not the cafe, and it is as yet only covered 
with a very fcanty vegetation, and incapable of pro- 
ducing either corn or vines. There are indeed pretty 
large trees growing in the crevices, which are full of 
a rich earth ; but in all probability it will be fome 
hundred years yet, before there is enough of it to 
render this land of any ufe to the proprietors. 

It is curious to confider, that the furface of this 
black and barren matter, in procefs of time, becomes 
one of the moft fertile foils upon earth : But what 
muft be the time to bring it to its utmoft perfection, 
when after 2oco years it is ftill in moft places but a 
barren rock ?— Its progrefs is poffibly as follows. The 
lava being a very porous fubftance, eafily catches the 
duft that is carried about by the wind ; which, at 
firft, I obferve only yields a kind of mofs ; this rot- 
ting, and by degrees increafmg the foil, fome fmall 
meagre vegetables are next produced ; which rotting 
in their turn, are likewife converted into foil. But 
this progrefs, I fuppofe, is often greatly accelerated 
by Showers of alhes from the mountain, as I have 
obferved in fome places the richefl foil, to the depth 
qf 5 or 6 feet and upwards ; and ftill below that, 
nothing but rocks of lava. It is in thefe fpots that 
the trees arrive at fuch an immenfe ftze. Their roots 
fhoot into the crevices of the lava, and lay fuch hold 
of it, that there is no inftance of the wind's tearing 
them up ; though there are many, of its breaking oiF 
their largeft branches. A branch of one of the great 
chefnut-trees, where we paffed yefterday, has fallen 
acrofs a deep gully, and formed a very commodious 
bridge over the rivulet below. The people fay it 

F 2 was 



68 



A TOUR THROUGH 



was done by St. Agatha, the guardian faint of the 
mountain, who has the fuperintendence of all its 
operations. 

In the lowed part of the firft region of j^tna, the 
harveft is almoft over ; but in the upper parts of the 
fame region, near the confines of the Regione Syl- 
vofa, it will not begin for feveral weeks. 

The reapers, as we went along, abufed us from all 
quarters, and more excellent black-guards I have 
^ever met with ; but indeed, our guides were a full 
match for them. They began as foon as we were 
within hearing, and did not finifh till we were got 
quite without reach of their voices, which they ex- 
tended as much as they could. As it was all in 
Sicilian, we could make very little of it, but by the 
interpretation of our guides ; however, we could 
not help admiring the volubility and natural elocu- 
tion with which they fpoke. This cuftom is as old 
as the time of the Romans, and probably much 
older, as it is mentioned by Horace, and others of 
their authors. It is flill in vogue here as much 
as ever ; the mailers encourage it ; they think 
it gives them fpirits, and makes the work go on 
more cheerfuliy ; and I believe they are right, for it 
is amazing what pleafure they feemed to take in it, 
and what laughing and merriment it occafioned. 

I forgot to mention that we palTed the fource of 
the famous cold river C II jiume Freddo J, This is the 
river fo celebrated by the poets in the fable of Acis and 
Galatea. It was here that Acis was fuppofed to have 
been killed by Polyphemus, and the gods out of 
compaffion converted him into this river j which, as 
ilili retaining the terrour infpired by the dreadful 
6 voice 



SICILY AND MALTA. 69 

voice of the Cyclops, runs with great rapidity, aiid 
about a mile from its fource throws itfelf into the fea. 
It rifes at once out of the earth a large ftream. Its 
water is remarkably pure, and fo extremely cold, that 
it is reckoned dangerous to drink it ; but I am told 
k has likewife a poifonous quality, which proceeds 
from its being impregnated with vitriol to fuch a de- 
gree, that cattle have often been killed by it. It never 
freezes ; but, what is remarkable, it is faid often to 
contradl a degree of cold greater than that of ice. 

Thefe particulars I was informed of by the priefts 
at Aci J which place, anciently called Aci Aquileia, 
and feveral others near it, Aci Caftello, Aci Terra, 
&c. take their names from the unfortunate Ihepherd 
Acis, 

A little to the eafl: of the river Acis, is the mouth 
of the river Alcantara, one of the mod confiderable 
in the ifland. It takes its rife on the north fide 
of mount ^tna, and marks out the boundary of 
the mountain for about 60 miles. Its courfe has 
been flopped in many places by the eruptions of the 
volcano ; fo that, ftriclly fpeaking, the fkirts of 
JEtud. extend much beyond it ; though it has gene- 
rally been confidered as the boundary. We pafTed 
it on our way to Piedmonte, over a large bridge 
built entirely of lava ; and near to this the bed of 
the river is continued for a great way, through one 
of the mofh remarkable, and probably one of the 
moft ancient lavas that ever run from -^tna. In 
many places the current of the river, which is ex- 
tremely rapid, has worn down the folid lava to the 
depth of 50 or 60 feet. Recupero, the gentleman 
I have m.entioned, who is engaged in v/riting the na- 

F 3 tural 



70 A TOUR THROUGH 

tural hiftory of ^tna, tells me, he had examined this 
lava with great attention, and he thinks that its 
courfe, including all its windings, is not lefs than 40 
miles. It ilTued from a mountain on the north fide 
of iEtna, and finding fome valleys that lay to the 
eaft, it took its courfe that way, interrupting the 
Alcantara in many places, and at laft arrived at tlie 
fea not far from the mouth of that river. 

The city of Jaci or Aci, and indeed all the towns 
on this coaft, are founded on immenfe rocks of lava, 
heaped one above another, in fome places to an 
amazing height ; for it appears that thefe flaming 
torrents, as foon as they arrived at the fea, were 
hardened into rock ; which not yielding any longer to 
the preflure of the liquid fire behind, the melted 
matter continuing to accumulate, formed a dam of 
fire, which, in a fhort time, run over the folid front, 
pouring a fecond torrent into the ocean : this was 
immediately confolidated, and fucceeded by a third, 
and fo on. 

. Many of the places on this coafl flill retain their 
ancient names 5 but the properties afcribed to them 
by the ancients are now no more. The river Acis, 
which is now fo poifonous, was of old celebrated for 
the fweetnefs and falubrity of its waters * ; which 
Theocritus fays, were ever held facred by the Sicilian 
fhepherds. 

We were furprifed to find that fo many places re- 
tained the name of this fwain, who I imagined had 
never exilted, but in the imagination of the poets 2 



* Qj^^^e per ^tnasos Acis. petit sequora fines, 

Et dulce gratum Nereide perluit unda. Sil. Ttal. 

But 



SICILY AND MALTA. 



71 



But the Sicilian authors fay, that Acis was the name 
of a king who reigned in this part of the ifland, in 
the time of the moft remote antiquity ; in confirma- 
tion of which, Maffa gives the tranllation of an in- 
fcription found near Aci Caftello f. He is faid to 
have been flain in a fit of jealoufy by Polyphemus, one 
of the giants of iEtna, which gave rife to the fable, 
Anguillara, a Sicilian poet, in relating this ftory, gives 
a tremendous idea of the voice of Polyphemus 5 the 
palTage has been greatly admired. 

** Tremo per troppo horrore jEtna ; e Tlfeo 

Fece maggior la fiamma ufcir del monte ; 
" E Pacchino, e Peloro, e Lilibeo 
" Quafi attufFar nel mar Paltera fronte ; 
** Cadde il martel di man nel monte -^tnaeo, 
" Ail Re di Lenno, a Sterope, e a Bronte ; 
'* Fugir fiere & augei di lor ricetto 
** E fi ftrinfe ogni madre il figlio al Petto.'* 

You will obferve, however, that the Sicilian poet 
cannot in juftice claim the entire merit of thefe lines, 
as they are evidently borrowed from Virgil's defcrip- 
tion of the found of the Fury Aledo's horn, in the 
7th jEnied. The lad line, perhaps the moft beauti* 
ful of the whole, is alnioft word for word, 

" Ec trepidas matres prefTere ad peftora natos." 



t D 

OGNI^, SATURNI^, JETl^JEM 
D E O R U M, 
M A R T I, F I LIJE, U X O R I, 
I N P O R T U 
SEPULCHRUM, TEMPLUM, ETARCEM 
ACIS, 

FAUNI FILIUS, PIC I NEPOS, 
SATURNI PRONEPOS, 
L A T I N I PRATER. 

F4 It 



72 ^ A TOUR THROUGH 

It has been obferved too, by fome critics, that 
even this defcription of Virgil is not his own, but 
copied from the account that Apollonius Rhodius 
gives of the roaring of the dragon that guarded the 
golden fleece ; fo that you fee there is nothing new 
under the fun. Rhodius probably ftole it from fome- 
body elfe, and fo on. Poets have ever been the 
greatefl of all thieves ; and happy it is that poetical 
theft is no felony ; otherwife, 1 am afraid, Parnaffus 
would have been but thinly peopled. 

Farewel ; to-morrow I fliall endeavour to bring 
you up with us ; for at prefent you will pleafe to ob- 
ferve, that you have got no farther than the city of 
Jaci ; and have ftill many extinguifhed volcanos to 
pafs before your arrival liere. 

Ever yours, &c, 



LETTER VIL 



Catania, May 25th, 

'J^ H E road from Jaci to this city is entirely over 
lava, and confequently very fatiguing and trouble- 
fome. Within a few miles of that place, we counted 
eight mountains formed by eruption, with every one 
its crater, from whence the burnt matter was dif- 
charged. Some of thefe are very high, and of a 
great cotopafs. It appears evidently, that the erup- 
tions of mount ^tna have formed the whole of this 
coaf!:, and in many places have driven back the fea 
for feveral miles from its ancient boundary. The 

account 



SICILY AND MALTA. 73 

account the Sicilian authors give of the confli^ be- 
twixt thefe two adverfe elements is truly tremendous; 
and in relating it, they feem to have been fliaken 
with horror. Conceive the front of a torrent of fire, 
ten miles in breadth, and heaped up to an enormous 
height, rolling down the mountain, and pouring its 
flames into the ocean ! The noife, they aifure us, is 
infinitely more dreadful than the loudeft thunder ; 
and is heard through the whole country to an im- 
menfe diftance. The water feemed to retire and di- 
minifh before the fire, and to confefs its fuperiority ; 
yielding up its polTeffions, and contrading its banks, 
to make room for its imperious mafter, who com- 
mands it : " Thus far fhalt thou come, and no far- 

ther.'^ — The clouds of fait vapour darken the face 
of the fun, covering up this fcene, under a veil of 
horror and of night ; and laying wafte every field 
and vineyard in thefe regions of the ifland. The 
whole fifh on the coaft are deftroyed, the colour of 
the fea itfelf is changed, and the transparency of its 
waters loft for many months. 

There are three rocks of lava at fome little diftance 
from fliore, which Pliny takes frequent notice of, 
and calls them the Three Cyclops. It is pretty Angu- 
lar that they are ftill diftinguifhed by the fame name. 

The fate of Catania has been very remarkable, and 
will ever appear fabulous. It is fituated immediately 
at the foot of this great volcano, and has been feve- 
ral times deftroyed by it : That indeed is not extraor- 
dinary ; it would have been much more fo had it 
efcaped ; but what I am going to relate, is a fingu- 
larity that probably never happened to any city but 
itfelf. It was always in great want of a port, till by 

an 



74 A TOUR THROUCH 

an ei'uption In the i6th century, and no doubt, hj 
the interpofition of St. Agatha, what was denied 
them by nature, they received from the generofity 
of the mountain. A ftream of lava, running into 
the fea, formed a mole which no expence could have 
fumifhed them. This lafted for fonie time a fafe and 
commodious harbour, till at laft, by a fubfequent erup- 
tion, it was entirely filled up and demolifhed ; fo that 
probably the poor faint had funk much in her credit ; 
for, at this unfortunate period, her miraculous veil,- 
looked upon as the greatefl treafure of Catania, and 
edeemed an infallible remedy againft earthquakes and 
volcanos, feems to have loft its virtue. Th^ torrent 
burft over the walls, fv/eeping away the images of 
every faint that w^ere placed there to oppofe it ; and 
laying wafte great part of this beautiful city, poured 
into the fea. However, the people fay, that at that 
time they had given their faint very juft provocation, 
but that ilie has long ago been reconciled to them ; 
and has promifed never to fuifer the mountain to get 
the better of them for the future. Many of them 
are fo thoroughly convinced of this, (for they are ex- 
tremely fuperftitious) that I really believe if the lava 
were at their walls, they w^ould not be at the pains to 
remove their effects. Neither is it the veil of St. 
Agatha alone, that they think poffelTed of this v/on- 
derful dominion over the mountain ; but every thing 
that has touched that piece of facred attire, they fup- ■ 
pofe is impregnated in a leffer degree with the fame 
miraculous properties. Thus there are a number of 
little bits of cotton and linen fixed to the veil ; which, 
after being bleifed by the bifhop, are fuppofed to ac- 
^uire power enough to fave any perfon's houfe or 

garden^ 



SICILY AND MALTA. 75 

garden ; and wherever this expedient has failed, it is 
always afcribed to the want of faith of the perfon, 
not any want of efficacy in the veil. However, they 
tell you many ftories of thefe bits of cotton being 
jfixed to the walls of houfes and vineyards, and pre- 
ferving them entirely from the conflagration. 

On our arrival at Catania, we were amazed to 
find, that in fo noble and beautiful a city, there was 
no fuch thing as an inn. Our guides, indeed, con- 
dueled us to a houfe they called fuch ; but it was fo 
wretchedly mean and dirty, that we were obliged to 
look out for other lodgings ; and by the affillance 
of the Canonico Recupero, for whom we had let- 
ters, we foon found ourfelves comfortably lodged in 
a convent. The prince of Bifcaris (the governor of 
the place) a perfon of very great merit and diftinc- 
tion, returned our vifit this forenoon, and made us 
the mofl obliging offers. 

Signor Recupero, who obligingly engages to be 
our Cicerone, has fliewn us fome curious remains of 
antiquity ; but they have been all fo fhaken and fliat- 
tered by the mountain, that hardly any thing is to be 
found entire. 

Near to a vault, which is now thirty feet below 
ground, and has probably been a burial place, there 
is a draw-well, where there are feveral flrata of lavas, 
with earth to a confiderable thicknefs over the fur- 
face of each ftratum. Recupero has made ufe of this 
as an argument to prove the great antiquity of the 
eruptions of his mountain. For if it requires two 
thoufand years or upwards to form but a fcanty foil 
on the furface of a lava, there mud have been 
more than that fpace of time betwixt each of the 

eruptions 



A TOUR THROUGH 



ertiptions which have formed thefe ftrata. But what 
lhall we fay of a pit they funk near to Jaci, of a 
great depth ? They pierced through feven diftind 
lavas ofie under the other, the furfaces of which were 
parallel, and mod of them covered with a thick bed 
of rich earth. Now, fays he, the eruption which 
formed the loweft of thefe lavas, if we may be 
allowed to reafon from analogy, muft have flowed 
from the mountain at leaft 14,000 years ago^ 

Recupero tells me he is exceedingly embar- 
raffed by thefe difcoveries in writing the hiftory of 
the mountain. — That Mofes hangs like a dead weight 
Hpon him, and blunts all his zeal for inquiry ; for 
that really he has not the confcience to make his 
mountain fo young as that prophet makes the world. 
— What do you think of thefe fentiments from a 
Roman Catholic divine — The bifliop, who is flrenu- 
oufly orthodox — for it is ai^ excellent fee^ — has air 
ready warned him to be upon his guard, and not 
lo pretend to be a better natural hiflorian than Mofes 5 
nor to prefume to urge any thing that may in the 
finalleO: degree be deemed contradiftory to his facre4 
authority. Adieu. 

Ever yours» 



LETTER VIII. 

Catania, May 26zh. 

'^HIS morning we went to fee the houfe and 
mufeum of the prince of Bifcaris ; which, in 
antiques, is inferior to none I have ever feen^ except 

that 



SICILV and MALTA. 7/ 

that of the king of Naples at Portici. What adds 
greatly to the value of thefe is, that the prince him- 
felf has had the fatisfadion of feeing moft of them 
brought to light. He has dug them out of the ruins 
of the ancient theatre of Catania, at an incredible 
expence, but happily his pains have been amply- 
repaid, by the number and variety of curious 
objeds he has difcovered. It would be endlefs to 
enter into an enumeration of them ; even during our 
fiiort flay, we had the fatisfadion of feeing part of a 
rich Corinthian cornice, and feveral pieces of llatues, 
produced again to the hght, after lying for fo many 
ages in darknefs and oblivion. His colledion of me- 
dals, cameios, and intaglios is likewife very princely, 
and fo are the articles in natural hiftory : but the 
poHte and amiable behaviour of the owner, gives 
more pleafure than all his curiofities. He did not, 
oftentatioufly, like the prince of Villa Franca, tell us, 
that his houfe and carriages were at our command ; 
but without any hint been given of it, we found his 
coach waiting at our door ; and v/e ihall probably be 
obliged to make ufe of it during our flay. His 
family confifts of the princefs his wife, a fon, and 
a daughter, who feem to emulate each other in 
benignity. They put me in mind of fome happy 
families I have feen in our own country, but refemble 
nothing we have yet met with on the continent. He 
is juft now building a curious villa on a promontory 
formed by the lava of 1669. The fpot where the 
houfe (lands was formerly at leafl 50 feet deep of 
water ; and the height of the lava above the prefent 
level of the fea, is not lefs than 50 more. 

I'his 



78 



A '■TOUR THROtTGH 



This afternoon I walked out alone to exzmlne 
the capricious forms and fmgular appearances that 
this deilrudive branch has affumed in laying wafle 
the country. I had not gone far when I fpied a mag- 
nificent building at fome diflance, which feemed to 
ftand on the higheft part of it. My curiofity led me 
on, as I had heard no mention of any palace on this 
fide, of the city. On entering the great gate, my 
furprife was a good deal increafed on obferving a 
fa9ade almoft equal to that of Verfailles ; a noble 
ftaircafe of white marble, and every thing that an- 
nounced a royal magnificence. I had never heard 
that the kings of Sicily had a palace at Catania, and 
yet I could not account for what I faw in any other 
w^ay. I thought the vail front before m.e had been 
the whole of the palace ; but conceive my amaze- 
ment, when on turning the corner, I found another 
front of equal greatnefs ; and difcovered that what I 
had feen v/as only one fide of a fquare. 

I was no longer in doubt, well knowing that the 
church alone could be miftrefs of fuch magnificence. 
I haftened home to communicate this difcoyery to my 
friends ; when I found the Canonico Recupero al- 
ready with them. He abufed me exceedingly for 
prefuming to go out without our Cicerone, and 
declared he had never been fo much difappointed in 
his life; as he had come on purpofe to carry us 
there, and to enjoy our furprife and aftonifhment. 
He then told us, that it was no other than a convent 
of fat Benedidine monks ; who were determined to 
^ake fure of a paradife, at leafl in this world, if not 
in the other. He added that they were worth about 

15,000 1. 



SICILY AND MALTA; 79 

15,000!. a year; an immenfe fum indeed for this 
country. 

We went with Recupero to pay our refpe£is to ^ 
thefe fons of humility, temperance, and mortifica- 
tion ; and we mufl own, they received and enter- 
tained us with great civility and politenefs, and even 
without oftentation. Their mufeum is little inferior 
to that of the prince of Bifcaris, and the apartments 
that contain it are much more magnificent. But 
their garden is the greateft curiofity : Although it be 
formed on the rugged and barren furface of the lava, 
it has a variety and a neatnefs feldom to be met with. 
The walks are broad, and paved v/ith flints ; and the 
trees and hedges (which by the by are in a bad tafle, 
and cut into a number of ridiculous ihapes) thrive 
exceedingly. The v/hole foil muft have been brought 
from a great diflance, as the furface of this lava (onlj 
1 50 years old) is as hard and bare as a piece of iron. 
The church belonging to this coiivent, if finiflied, 
would be one of the finefl in Europe ; but as it is 
founded on the furface of the porous and brittle lava, 
part of the foundation has given way to the preiTure 
of fo huge a fabric ; and feveral of the Urge arches 
that were intended to form the different chapels, have 
already fallen down. Only the wefl limb of the 
crofs (not a fifth of the whole) is fmifhed ; and even 
this alone makes a very fine church. Here they have 
the fmefl organ I ever heard, even fuperior, I think, 
to that at Harlem. 

We went next to examine v>^here the lava had 
fcaled the walls of Catania. It mufl have been a 
noble fight. The walls are 64 palms high, (near 60 
feet) and of a great ftrength j otherwife they mufl 

iiave 



A TOUR THROITGH 



Lave been borne down by the force of the flaming- 
matter which rofe over this height, and feems to 
feave mounted confiderably above the top of the wall 
before it made its entry ; at laft it came down, fweep- 
ing before it every faint in the calendar, who were 
drawn up in order of battle on purpofe to oppofe its 
paflage ; and marching on in triumph, annihilated, 
in a manner, every objeil: that dared to oppofe it. 
Amongft other things, it covered up fome fine foun- 
tains ; one of which was fo much efteemed, that 
they have at a great expence pierced through the 
lava, and have now recovered their favourite fpring. 
This excavation is a very curious work, and worthy 
©f the attention of travellers. 

Catania is looked upon as one of the moft ancient 
cities in the iiland, or indeed in the world. — Their 
legends bear, that it was founded by the Cyclops, or 
giants of ^tna, fuppofed to have been the firfl inha* 
bitants of Sicily after the deluge ; and fome of the- 
Sicilian waiters pretend that it was built by Deucalion 
and Pyrrha as foon as the waters fubfided, and they 
had got down again to the foot of the mountain. Its 
ancient name was Catetna, or the city of u^tna. 

It is now reckoned the third city in the kingdom : 
tbough fmce Meflina was deftroyed by the plague, it 
may well be confidered as the fecond. It contains up- 
wards of 3O5OO0 inhabitants ; has an univerfity, the 
only one in the ifland ; and a bifliopric. The bifliop's 
revenues are confiderable, and arife principally from 
the fale of the fnow on mount ^tna. One fmall 
portion of v/hich, lying on the north of the moun- 
tain, is faid to bring liim in upwards of 1000 L a 
year j for iEtna furniihes fnow and ice, not only t6 

the 



SiCiLY A^D MALTA. * 8 1 

the whole ifland of Sicily, but iikewife to Maltaj 
and a great part of Italy, and makes a very con- 
fiderable branch of commerce; for evea the 
peafants in thefe hot countries regale themfelves 
with ices during the fummer heats j and there is no 
entertainment given by the nobility, of which thefe 
do not always make a principal part : a famine of 
fnow, they themfelves fay, would be riiore grievous^ 
than a famine of either corn or wine. It is a com- 
mon obfervation amongft them, that without the 
fnows of mount -/Etna, their illand could not be 
inhabited ; fo elTential has this article of luxury be^* 
Gome to them. But jStna not only keeps them cool 
in fummer, but likevv^ife keeps them warm in winter 5 
the fuel for the greatefl part of the illand being car* 
ried from the immenfe and inexhauflibie forefts of 
this volcano, and conftitutes too, a very large branch 
of commerce.-*— But this amazing mountain perpe- 
tually carries me away from my fubjed ; I was 
fpeaking of this city. — What of it Was fpared by the 
eruption 1659, totally ruiiied by the fatal earth- 
quake 1693 ? when the greateft part of its inha- 
bitants were buried under the v*^alls of their houfes 
and churches* Yet, after fuch repeated, and fuch. 
difmal difafters, fo ftrange is their infatuation, that 
they never could be prevailed upon to change their 
fituation* The whole city was foon rebuilt, after a 
iiew and an elegant plan, and is now much handfomer 
than ever. There is fcarce any doubt, that in fome 
future commotion of the mountain, it will be again 
laid in afhes. But at pi*efent they are in perfe£l: fecu- 
rity : The Virgin and St* Agatha have both engaged 

G to 



82 



A TOUR THROUGH 



to proteO: them ; and under their banner they hold 
^tna, with ail the devils it contains, at defiance. 

There are many remains of antiquity in this city, ' 
but indeed moil of thern are in a very ruinous ftate. 
One of the moft remarkable is an elephant of lava, 
with an obelifk of Egyptian granite on his back. 
There are iikewife confiderabie remains of a great 
theatre^ befides the one belonging to the prince of 
Bifcaris \ a large bath almoft entire ; the ruins of the 
great aquedud:, 1 8 miles long ; the ruins of feveral 
temples, one of Ceres, another of Vulcan : The 
church called Bocca di Fuocq was Hkewife a temple. 
But tl^e moft enure of all, is a fmall rotundo, which.,, 
as well as the pantheon at Rome, and- fome others to 
be met with in Italy, in my opinion, demonftrates 
that form to be the moil durable of any. 

It has now been purged and purified from all the 
infection contracted from the heathen rites, and is 
become a chriftian church, dedicated to the blelTed 
Virgin ; who has long been conllituted univerfal 
legatee, and executrix to all the ancient goddefTes,. 
ceieftialj terreftrial, and infernal : and, indeed, little 
more than the names are changed, the things con- 
tinuing pretty much the fame as ever.— The Ca- 
tholics themfeives do not attend to it : but it is not 
a little curious to confider, how fmall is the devia-, 
tjon in almoft every article of their prefeat rites from 
«hofe of the t-ncients. I have fomewhere feen an 
obfervation, which feems to be a jufl one : That 
diiriag the long reign of heathenifm* faperdition had 
siito<Tether exhaoiled her talent for invention ; fo tha^ 
when a fuperrtkious fpirit (dzeA Chriilians^ they were-, 

i^nde^* 



SICILY AND MALTA» 



83 



under a neceffity of borrowing from their predecelTors, 
and imitating fome part of their idolatry. This appears 
to be ftridly the cafe. I took notice of it to Signor 
R— who is not the moft zealous fedlary in the 
v/orld, and who frankly owned the truth of the ob- 
, fervation. 

In fome places the very fame images flill remain : 
They have only chriftened them ; and what was Ve- 
nus or Proferpine, is now Mary Magdalene, or the 
Virgin. The fame ceremonies are daily performed 
before thefe images; in the fame language, and 
nearly in the fame manner. The faints are perpe- 
tually coming down in perfon, and working miracleSj 
as the heathen gods did of old. The walls of the 
temples are covered with the vows of pilgrims, as 
they were formerly. The holy water, which was 
held in fuch deteftation by the firll Chrifliians, is 
again revered, and fprinkled about with the fame 
devotion as in the time of paganifm. The fame in- 
tenfe is burntj by priefts arrayed in the fame man- 
ner, with the fame griiuaces and genuflexions, before 
the fame images, and in the fame temples too. In 
fnort, fo nearly do the rites coincide, that were the 
|)agan high-priell to come back, and re-alTume his 
functions^ he would only have to learn a few new 
names : to get the Mafs, the Paters, and the Aves 
by heart; which would be much eafier to him, as 
they are in a language he underflands, but which 
his modern fucceffors are often ignorant of. Some 
things, to be fure, would puzzle him ; and he would 
fwear that all the my fieri es of Eleufis were nothing 
to the amazing myflery of tranfubflantiation j the 
only one that ever attempted to fet both our under- 

Ct 2 (landing 



^4 TOUR THROUGH 

{landing and our fenfes at defiance, and baffles 
equally all the faculties both of the foul and body. — 
He would, likewife, be a good deal at a lofs to ac- 
count for the ftrange metamorphofis of fome of his 
old friends. That he (would fay) I can w^ell remem- 
ber was the flatue of Venus Meretrix, and was only 
worfliipped by the loofe and voluptuous. She feems 
to be wonderfully improved fnice you made her a 
Chriftian ; for I find fhe is now become the great 

protedrefs of chaftity and virtue. Juno too, who 

was fo implacable and fo revengeful, you have fof- 
tened down into a very moderate fort of deity ; for I 
obferve you addrefs her with as little fear or cere- 
mony -as any of the red of them ; I wifh you would 
make the Furies Chriflians too, for furely they would 
be much the better for it. — But obferving the figure 
of St. Anthony, he would exclaim with aftonifli- 
ment, — But what do I behold ! — Jupiter, the fovereign 
of gods and men, with a ragged cloak over his fhoui- 
ders ! What a humiliating fpedacle ! Well do I re- 
member, with what av/e we bent before that once 
refpedable image. But what has become of the 
thunderbolt, which he held in his hand to chaftife 
the world ; and what is that he has got in its place? 
His conduftor would tell him, that it was only a piece 
of rope, with knots upon it, to chaflife himfelf 5 
adding, that he was now doing penance for his long 
ufurpation ; and that the thund'er had long ago beeit 
put into better hands. — However, he would foon 
find, that even thefe faints fometimes change their 
names, according to, the enthufiaflic caprice of the 
people ; and from this verfatility, he would flill be m 
hopes^ in procefs of time, to fee his friend Jupiter re* 
afi'iime his bolt and his dignitv. 

Do 



SICIL^ AND MALTA. 85 

Do you remember old Fluet,— the greateft of all 
originals? One day, as he pafied the ftatue of Jupi- 
ter in the capitol, he pulled off his hat, and made 
him a bow. — A jacobite gentleman, who obferved it, 
afked him why he paid fo much refped to that old 
gentleman. — -For the fame reafon, replied Huet, that 
you pay fo much to the Pretender. Befides, added 
he, I think there is rather a greater probability that 
his turn will come round again, than that of your 
hero ; I fhall therefore endeavour to keep well with 
him, and hope he will never forget that I took notice 
of him in the time of his adverfity. 

Indeed, within the courfe of my own obfervation, 
I can recollect fome of the mofl capital faints in thq 
calendar, who have been difgraced by the people, 
and new names given to their flatues. When we 
were in Portugal lafl war, the people of Caflel Bran- 
co were fo enraged at St. Antonio, for allowing the 
Spaniards to plunder their town, contrary, as they 
affirmed, to his exprefs agreement with them, that 
they broke many of his flatues to pieces ; and one 
that had been more revered than the reft, they took 
the head off, and clapped on one of St. Francis in its 
place ; whoie name the ftatue ever after retained. 
Even the great St. Januarius himfelf, I am told, was 
in im.minent danger daring the lail famine at Naples. 
A Swifs gentleman alTured me, that he had heard 
tliem load him with abufe and invective ; and de- 
clared point-blank, that if he did not procure them 
corn by fuch a time, he fhould no longer be their 
faint. However, fuch inflances are but rare; and 
in general the poor catholics are fully indemnified 
for thefe fudden fits of palTion and refentment, from 

G 3 the 



A TGUR THROUGH 



the full perfuafion of the immediate prefence ancj 
protedion of their beloved patrons. 

I have obferved, with pleafu.re, that glow of gra«? 
titude and afFeftion that has animated their counter 
nances ; and am perfuaded that the warmth of enthu° 
fiallic devotion they often feel before their favourite, 
faints, particularly their female ones^ mull have fome- 
thing extremely delightful in it ;; refemblingj perhaps^ 
the pure and delicate fenfations of the moft refpectful 
love. I own I have fometimes envied them their 
feelings ; and in my heart curfed the pride of reafon 
and pbilofophy, with all its cool and taflelefs triumphs, 
that lulls into a kind of floical apathy thefe moft ex- 
quifite fenfations of the foul, V\rho would not chufe 
to be deceived, when the deception raifes in him 
thefe delicious paflions, that are fo worthy of the hu- 
man heart ; and for which, of all others, it feems to 
be the moil fitted ? But if once you have fteeled it 
over with the hard and impenetrable temper of phi- 
lofophy j thefe iine-fpun threads of weaknefs and 
alfedion, that were fo pliable, and fo eafily tied^ 
become hard and inflexible ; and for ever lofe that 
delicate tone of fenfibility that put them into a kind 
of unifon and vibration with every objed around us : 
For it is certainly true, what has been faid of one 
part of our fpecies, and may almoll wijth equal juilice 
be applied to the whole, 

•< That to tlieir weaknefs half their charms we owe." 

1 remember Doctor TiiTot told me, he had a pa» 
tient that adually died of love for Chrifl ; and v/heii 
in the lafh extremity, feemed ftill to enjoy the greateft 
happinefs ; calling upon him with all the fondnefs of 



SICILY AND MALTA* 8^ 

the moil enthufiaftic paffion. And from what I hare 
often obferved before the flatues of the Virgin and 
St. Agatha, I am perfuaded, they have many ina- 
moratos that would wiiiingly lay down their lives for 
them. 

Now, pray don't you think too, that this perfona! 
kind of worfhip is much better adapted to the capa*» 
cities of the vulgar, than the more pure and fubiime 
modes of it, which would only dillirad and confound 
their fimple underftandings, unaccuftonied to fpecu* 
lation; and that certainly require fomething grofs 
and material, fome objeQ: of fenfe to fix their atten« 
tion ? — This even feems to have been the opinion of 
fome of the facred writers, who often reprefent God 
under fome material form. 

Were you to attempt to give a country-fellow an 
idea of the Deity ; were you to tell him of a being 
that is immaterial, and yet whofe elTence penetrates 
all matter ; who has exifted from all eternity, and 
v/hofe extenfion is equally boundlefs with his dui*a- 
tion ; who fills and pervades millions of worlds, and 
animates every objedt they contain ^ and who, in the 
fubiime language of our poet^ 

" Tho' changed thro" all, is yet in all the famej 
<^ Great m the earth, as in th* stherial frame : 
*' Warms in the fun? refrefhes in the breeze;, 

Glows in the ftars, and bioiToms in the trees j 
*' Lives thro' all life, extends thro* all extent ; 
** Spreads undivided, operates unfpent. 
** To hlra no high, no low, no great, no fmaD 5 

He fills, he bounds, conneds, and equals all.'* 

Now what do you imagine he would think of fuch 
a being ? I am afraid his underftanding would be fo 

G 4 bewiL 



88 



A TOUR. THROUGH 



bewildened, that he could not think at all. But fet 

up before him the figure of a fine woman, with a 
beautiful child in her arms, the moft interefting ob- 
Jed in nature ; and tell him (he can procure him 
every thing he wants ; he knows perfectly well wha^t 
he is about ; feels himfelf animated by the objed, 
and prays to her with all his might. 

Adieu. — We ^are going to be very bufy; and are 
preparing every thing for one of the greateft objeds 
of our expedition ; the examination of mount jEtna. 
Indeed, we have received but bad encouragement j 
and are beginning to doubt of the pofiibility of fuc- 
cefs. Recupero tells us, that the feafon is not far 
enough advanced yet, by fome months ; and that he 
does not think it will be pofiible to get near the fum- 
mit of the mountain. The laft winter, he fays, was 
fo uncommonly fevere, that the circle of fnow ex- 
tended much nearer the foot of the mountain than 
ufual ; that although this circle is now greatly con- 
traded ^ it ftill extends nine or ten miles below 
the crater. — He advifes us to return this way in the 
jnonth of Augufl ; and, if poffible, make iEtna the 
lafl part of our expedition. If we do not fucceed to- 
morrow, we fhall probably follow his advice ; but we 
are all determined to make a bold pulh for it. The 
weather is the m-oft favourable that can be imagined ? 
Here is a delightful evening ; and by the ftar^light 
we can obferve the fmoke rolling down the fide of 
the mountain like a vaft torrent. Recupero fays, 
this is a fure indication of the violence of the cold in 
thefe exalted regions of the atmofphere, which con-* 
denfes the vapour, and makes it fall down, the mo- 
ment it ilfuea out of the crater, He advifes us, by 

all 



SICILY AND MALTA. 



89 



all means, to provide plenty of liqueurs^ "warm fur 
cloaks, and hatchets to cut wood ; as we lhall pro* 
bably be obliged to pafs the night in the open air, in 
a climate, he alTures us, as cold as that of Greenland. 
It is very fmgular if this be true ; for at prefent we 
are melting with heat, in thin fuits of taffeta. Adieu. 
You fhall know it all on our return, if we do not 
Clare the fate of Empedocles. 

Ever yours. 



LETTER IX. 

Catama, May 29. 

the 27th, by day-break, we fet off to vilit 
mount jSltna, that venerable and refpedable 
father of mountains. His bafe, and his immenfe 
declivities, are covered over with a numerous pro- 
geny of his own ; for every great eruption produces 
a new mountain; and perhaps, by the number of 
thefe, better than by any other method, the number 
of eruptions, and the age of ^tna itfelf, might be 
afcertaincd. 

The whole jnoimtain is divided into three diPand 
regions, called La Regione Culta, or Piedmoniefe^ 
The Fertile Region ; La Regione Syhofa^ or Nemo- 
rofay The Woody Region ; and La Regione Deferta^ 
or Scoperfa^ The Barren Region. 

Thefe three are as different, both in climate and 
productions, as the three zones of the earth ; and 
perhaps^ with equal propriety, might have been ffyi^d 

the- 



go A TOUR THROUGH 

the Torrid, the Temperate, and the Frigid zone. 
The firft region furrounds the foot of the mountain^ 
and conftitutes the moil: fertile country in the world 
on all fides of it, to the extent of about fourteen or 
fifteen miieSg where the woody region begins. It is 
compofed almoft entirely of lava, which, after a 
number of ages, is at laft converted into the moil 
fertile of all foils. 

At Nicolofi, which is twelve miles up the moun- 
tain, we found the barometer at 27 : if 5 at Catania 
k flood at 29 : 8| ; although the former elevation is 
not very great, probably not exceeding 3000 feet, 
yet the climate was totally changed. At Catania 
the harveft was entirely over, and the heats were in- 
fupportable ; here they were moderate, and in many 
places the corn is as yet green. The road for tkefe 
twelve miles is the worft I ever travelled ; entirely 
over old lavas and the mouths of extinguilhed vol- 
canos, now converted into cor^i^fields, vineyards, and 
orchards. 

The fruit of this region is reckoned the finefl in 
Sicily, particularly the figs, of which they have a 
great variety. One of thefe, of a very large fize, 
elleemed fuperior in flavour to all the rell, they pre- 
tend is peculiar to ^tna.. 

The lavas, which as I have already faid form this 
region of the mountain, take their rife from an infi- 
nite number of the moll: beautiful little mountains on 
earth, which are every where fcattered on the im-* 
menie declivity of iEtna. Thefe are all of a regular- 
figure ; either that of a cone, or a femifphere ; and 
all but a very few are covered with beautiful trees^ 
and the richefc verdure : Every eruption generally 

I form^, 



SICILY AND MALTA. 9I 

forms one of thefe mountains. As the great crater 
of ^tna itfelf is raifed to fuch an enormous height 
above the lower regions of the m.ountain, it is not 
poiTible, that the internal fire raging for a vent, even 
round the bafe, and no doubt vaftly below it, Ihould 
be carried to the height of twelve or thirteen thou- 
fand feet, for probably fo high is the fummit of 
JEtm. It has therefore generally happened, that 
after fhaking the mountain and its neighbourhood 
for fome time, it at lafl burfts open its fide, and this 
is called an eruption. At hrfl: it only fends forth a 
thick fmoke and fliowers of afhes, that lay wafte the 
adjacent country : Thefe are foon followed by red 
hot flones, and rocks of a great fize, thrown to an. 
imm^enfe height in the air. The fall of thefe flones, 
together with the quantities of aflies difcharged at the 
fame time, at lafl form the fpherical and conical moun- 
tains t have mentioned. Sometimes this procefs is 
finiilied in the courfe of a few days, fometimes it laPcs 
for months, which was the cafe in the great eruption 
1669. In that cafe, the mountain formed is of a 
great fize ; fome of them are not lefs than feven or 
eight miles round, and upwards of looo feet in per- 
pendicular height ; others are not more than two or 
three miles round, and 3 or 400 feet high. 

After the new mountain is formed, the lava ge- 
nerally burfls out from its lower fide ; and bearing 
every thing before it, is for the moft part terminated 
by the fea. This is the common progrefs of an 
eruption; however, it fometim.es happens, though 
rarely, that the lava burfts at once from the fide of 
the mountain, without all thefe attending circum- 
ftances ; and this is commonly the cafe with the 

eruptions, 



92 



A TOUR .THROUGH 



eruptions of Vefuvius, where the elevation being (o 
much fmaller, the melted matter is generally carried 
up into the crater of the mountain, which then ex- 
hibits the phaenomena I have defcribed ; difcharging 
fhowers of iiones and aflies from the mouth of the 
volcano, without forming any new mountain, but 
only adding confiderably to the height of the old 
one; till at lad the lava, rifmg near the fummir, 
burfts the fides of the crater, and the eruption is 
declared. This has literally been the cafe with two 
eruptions J have been an attentive witnefs of m that 
mountain ; but ^tna is upon a much larger fcale, 
and one crater is not enough to give vent to fuch 
oceans of liquid fire. 

Recupero aifures me, he faw in an eruption of that 
mountain large rocks of fire difcharged to the height 
of fom.e thoufand feet, with a noife much more terrible 
than that of thunder. He meafured from the time of 
their greatefl elevation till they reached the ground, 
and found they took twenty-one feconds to defcend ; 
which according to the rule of the fpaces, being as the 
fquares of the times, amounts, I think, to upwards 
of 7000 feet. A moil aftonifliing height furely, and 
requiring a force of projection beyond what we hav^ 
any conception of. I meafured the height of the 
explofions of Vefuvius by the feme rule, and never 
obferved any of the (tones thrown from it to take 
more than nine feconds to defcend, which fhews they i 
had rifen to little more than 1200 feet. 

Our landlord at Nicolofi gave us an account of the 
fmgular fate of the beautiful country near Hybla, at 
no great diflance from hence. It was fo celebrated 
for its fertility, and particularly for its honey, that it 

was 



SICILY AND MALTA. 9^ 

Was called Mel Paffi, till it was overwhelmed by the 
lava of JEtnz ; and having then become totally barren, 
by a kind of pun its name was changed to Mai Paffi, 
In a fecond eruption, by a fliower of afhes from the 
mountain, it foon re-aHumed its ancient beauty and 
fertility ; and for many years was called Bel Pafli. Lafl 
of all, in the unfortunate sera of 1 669, it was again 
laid under an ocean of fire, and reduced to the moH 
wretched fteriHty, fmce which time it is known again 
by its fecond appellation of Mai FafTi. However, the 
lava in its courfe over this beautiful country, has left 
feveral little illands or hillocks ; juft enough to ihew 
what it formerly was. Thefe make a lingular appear- 
ance, in all the bloom of the mofl luxuriant vegetation, 
furrounded and rendered almoft inaccefTible by large 
fields of black and rugged lava. The mountain from 
whence the firil eruption illued, that covered the Mel 
FalE, is known by the name of Monpelieri ; I 
flruck vv^ith its beautiful appearance at a diftance, and. 
could not refift the deiire I had of examining It 
minutely, as well as of obferving the effeds of the 
two eruptions that overv/helmed this celebrated 
country* 

. Monpelieri is rather of a fpherical than a conical 
ihape, and does not rife in perpendicular height above 
300 feet, but it is fo perfedly regular on every fide, 
and fo richly overfpread v/ith fruits and flov/ers, that 
I could not leave fo heavenly a fpot vi^thout the 
greateft regret. Its cup or crater is large in proportion 
to the mountain, and is as exaftly hollowed out as 
the bed made bowl. I walked quite round its outward 
edge, and think the circumference muil be fomewhat 
more than a mile. 

This 



A TOUR THROUGH 



This mountain was formed by the firfl: eruption thai 
deilroyed the country of Mel Pafii, and is of a very old 
date. It buried a great number of villages and country 
houfes ; and pai'dcularly two noble churches, which 
are more regretted than all the reft, on account of 
three ftatues, reckoned at that time the moft perfed 
in the ifland. They have attempted, but in vain, to re- 
cover them ; as the fpot where the churches flood 
could never be juftly afcertained. Indeed it is impoilible 
it fliould ; for thefe churches were built of lava, which 
it is well known is immediately melted, when it comes 
into conta6: Vvith a torrent of new erupted matter : 
And MalTa fays, that in fome eruptions of jEtna, the 
lava has poured down with fuch a fudden inipetuofity, 
that in the courfe of a few hours, churches, palaces, 
and villages, have been entirely melted down, and the 
whole run oif in fufion, without leaving the leaft mark , 
of their former exiftence. But if the lava has had any 
confiderable time to cool, this fulgular efFed never ' 
happens* 

The great eruption of 16695 after fhaking the whole 
country around for four months, and forming a very 
large mountain of (cones and afhes, burft out about a 
mile above Monpelieri, and defcending like a torrent^ 
bore direftly againft the middle of that mountain, and 
(they pretend) perforated it from fide to fide 1 this 
however I doubt, as it mull have broken the regular 
form of the mountain, which is not the cafe. But 
certain it is^ that it pierced it to a great depth. The lava 
then divided into tv/o branches ; and furrounding this 
mountain, joined again on its fouth fide ; and laying 
wafte the whole country betwixt that and Catania, 
fcaled the v/alls of that city, and poured its flaming 

torrent 



SICILY And MALTA. 9j 

torrent into the ocean. In its way, it is faid to have de- 
flroyed the pofieiTions of near 305O00 people, and re* 
duced them to beggary. It formed feverai hills wh^e 
there were formerly valleys, and filled up a large lake, 
of which there is not now the leafl veftige to be feen. 

As the events of this eruption are better knov/n 
than any other, they tell a great many fmgular ftories 
of it 9 one of which, however incredible it may appear^ 
is vveil afcertained. A vineyard, belonging to a conveni 
of Jefuits, lay dire£lly in its way. This vineyard was 
formed on an ancient lava, probably a thin one, with 
a number of caveiT^s and crevices under it. The liquid 
lava entering into thefe caverns, foon filled them up^ 
and by degrees bore up the vineyard ; and the Jefuits. 
who every moment expeded to fee it buried^ beheld 
with ama-^ement the whole field begin to move oiSl 
It was carried on the furface of the lava to a con- 
fiderable diilance ; and though the gTeatefl part was 
deftroyed:, yet fome of it remains to this day. 

We went to examine the mouth from whence this 
dreadful torrent ilTued ; and w^ere furprifed to find it 
only a fmall hole, of about three or four yards 
<3iam£ter. The mountain from whence it fprung, i 
tbiiik is little lefs than the conical part of Vefuvius. 

1 here is a vaft cavern on the oppoilte fide of it^ 
where people go to flioot wild pigeons, which breed 
there in great abundance. The innenn oft parts of this- 
cavern are fo very difmal and gloomy, that our land- 
lord told us fome people had loft their fenfes from 
having advanced too far, imagining they faw devil&. 
and the fpirits of the damned ; for it is ftill very 
generally believed here,, that iEtna is the mouth of 
helL 

We 



9« 



A TOUR THR0lj(5lt 



We found a degree of wildnefs and ferocity iti tha 
inhabitants of this mountain^ that I have not obferved 
any where elfe. It put me in mind of an obfervation 
the Padre della Torre (the hifloriographer of mount 
Vefuvius) told me he had often made in the confines 
of Naples 5 that in the places where the air is moll 
impregnated with fuiphur and hot exhi-lations, the 
people were always mod wicked and vicious. What- 
ever truth there may be in the obfervatioU) the people 
about Nicolofi at leaft feem to confirm it. The whole 
village flocked round us, and the women in parti* 
cular abufed us exceedingly ; the caufe of which we 
at lafl found was, that F — — 's blooming complexion 
and white {kin had made them take him for one of 
their own fex. They made a great clamour, and it 
was with difficulty we could appeafe them. The per* 
fon whom Recupero had appointed to accompany us, 
known by the name of the Cyclops, (the man in the 
ifland that is befl: acquainted with mount iEtna) was 
ordered by them not to go with us; and if we had 
not at lad obtained their confent by foothing and 
fiattery, the bed method with women, he durft not 
have difobeyed them. At firft we had been obliged 
to {hut the gate of the court, they were fo very noify 
and tumultuous ; but when our landlord (a prieO:), 
for whom we had letters from Catania, affured them 
that we were Chriftians, and came with no bad 
intentions, they became more moderate, and we 
ventured out amongfl them. — This confidence foon 
acquired theirs ; and in a {hort time vv^e became good 
friends, and had a great deal of converfation. 

It was with much difficulty 1 could perfuade them 
that we were not come to fearch for hidden treafure% 

a great 



SICILY AND MALTA. 97 

a great quantity of which they believe is to be found 
in Monpelieri ; and when I went to that mountain 
they were then fully convinced that this was our 
intention. Two of the men followed me, and kept a 
clofe eye on every ftep that I took ; and when I lifted 
any bit of lava or pumice, they came running up, 
thinking it was fomething very precious ; but when 
they obferved they were only bits of flone, and that 
I put them into my pocket, they laughed heartily^ 
talking to one another in their mountain jargon, 
which is unintelligible even to Italians. However, as 
moft of them fpeak Italian fo as to be underftood, 
they aiked me what I was going to make of thofe 
bits of flone ? I told them they were of great value 
in our country ; that the people there had a way of 
making gold of them : At this they both feemed ex- 
ceedingly furprifed, and fpoke again in their own 
tongue. However, I found they did not believe me ; 
one of them told me, if that had been true, I cer- 
tainly would not have been fo ready in telling it : 
But, faid he, if it is fo, we will ferve you for ever, 
if you will teach us that art ; for then we fhall be the 
richefl people on earth. I alTured them that I had 
not yet learned it myfelf, and that it was a fecret 
known only to very few. They were likewife a good 
deal furprifed to fee me pull out of my pocket a mag- 
netical needle and a fmall eledlrometer, which I had 
prepared at Catania to examine the electrical Rate of 
the air ; and I was at firll afraid they fhould have 
taken me for a conjuror (which you know already 
happened amongft the Appenines), but luckily that 
idea did not ftrike them. 

H On, 



9^ A TOUR THROUGH 

On our way back to Nicolofi we were joined by 
three or four more, with their wives. I began to 
be a little afraid of myfelf, left they fhould infift on 
knowing the fecret. However, I took out my bits 
of lava, and told them they were at their fervice, 
if they had any occafion for them. But they 
refufed them, faying, they wifhed to the Virgin and 
St. Agatha, that I could take away the whole of it j 
as it had ruined the fineft country in all Sicily. 

One fellow, who alTumed an air of fuperior wifdom 
and dignity to the reft, made them form a circle 
round him, and began to interrogate me with great 
gravity and compofure. It was with difficulty I could 
keep my countenance ; but as I was alone with them, 
at fome diftance from the village, I was afraid of 
offending. He defired me to anfwer him with truth 
and precifion, what were the real motives of oiir 
coming fo fatiguing and difagreeable a journey ? I 
told him, on my word, that we had no other motive 
but curiofity to examine mount ^tna. On which, 
laughing to one another with great contempt ; Un 
hel ragione quejio^ non e vero^ faid they ; (a very pretty 
reafon truly,) The old fellow then afked me what 
country we were of? I told him, we were Inglefe, 
E dove ? loro paefe^ faid he ; whereabouts does their 
country lie ? I told him it was a great way off, on the 
other fide of the world. Da veroy faid the feHow,— 
e credono in Chrifto quelli Inglefe ^ — I told him (laugh- 
ing) that they did. Ah, faid he, fliaking his head, 
mi pare che non credono troppo, — One of the company 
then obferved, that he remembered feveral of thefe 
Inglefe, that, at different times, had paid vifits to 
mount JEtna, and that they never yet'could find out 

their 



SICILY AND MALTA. 



99 



their . motiVe ; but that he recolledied very well to 
have heard many of their old people fay, that the 
Inglefe had a queen that had burnt in the mountain 
for many years pail ; and that they fuppofed thefe 
vifits were made from fome devotion or refpedt to 
her memory. I alTured them that the Inglefe had 
but too little refped: for their queens when they were 
alive, but that they never troubled themfelves about 
them after they w^ere dead : however, as all the 
others confirmed this teftimony, I thought it was 
belt to fay Httle againil it ; but I was extremely 
curious to know who this queen might be. They 
alleged that I knew much better than they 5 but 
added, that her name was Anna. 

I could not conceive what queen Anne had done to 
bring her there ; and v/as puzzling myfelf to find it 
out, when one of them foon cleared up the matter ; 
he told me fhe was wife to a king that had been a 
Chriftian, and that (he had made him an Heretic, 
and was in confequence condemned to burn for ever 
in mount -^tna. In Ihort, I found it was no other 
than poor Anne Boloyne. As foon as I mentioned 
the name, Sifignor^ faid the fellow, rijieffa^ rijlejfa^ 
la connofce meglio che nou I aiked, if her hufband 
was there too, for that he deferved it much better 
than flie : ficuro^ faid he, and all his heretic fubjeds 
too ; and if you are of that number, you need not be 
•in fuch a hurry to get thither, you will be fure of it 
at laft. I thanked him, and went to join our com- 
pany, not a little amufed with the converfation. 

We foon after left Nicolofi, and in an hour and a 
half's travelling, over barren afhes and lava, we 
arrived on the confines of the Regione Sylvofa, or 

H 2 the 



lOO 



A TOUR THROUGH 



tlie Temperate Zone. As foon as we entered thefe 
delightful forefts, we feemed to have got into another 
world. The air, which before was fultry and hot, 
was now cool and refrefhing ; and every breeze was 
loaded with a thoufand perfumes, the whole ground 
being covered over with the richeft aromatic plants. 
Many parts of this region are furely the mod hea- 
venly fpots upon earth ; and if ^tna refembles hell 
withing it may with equal juftice be faid to refemble 
paradife without. 

It is indeed a curious confidef ation, that this moun* 
tain fliould unite every beauty and every horror ; 
and, in Ihort, all the moft oppofite and diffimilar ob- 
jeQ:s in nature. Here you obferve a gulph, that 
formerly threw out torrfents of fire, now covered 
with the mufl luxuriant vegetation ; and from an 
objed of terror, become one of delight. Here you 
gather the moft delicious fruit, rifmg from what was 
but lately a black and barren rock. Here the ground 
is covered with every flower ; and we wander over 
thefe beauties, and contemplate this wildernefs of 
fweets, without confidering that hell, with all its 
terrors, is immediately under our feet ; and that 
but a few yards feparate us from lakes of liquid fire 
and brimftone. 

But our aftonifliment Rill increafes, on cafting our 
eyes on the higher regions of the mountain. There 
we behold, in perpetual union, the two elements 
that are at perpetual war ; an immenfe gulph of fire, 
for ever exifting in the midft of fnows which it has 
not power to melt ; and immenfe fields of fnow and 
ice for ever furrounding this gulph of fire, which they 
have not power to extinguifli. 

The 



SICILY AND MALTA. 



lOI 



The woody region of JEtud. afcends for about eight 
or nine miles, and forms a zone or girdle, of the 
brighteft green, all around the mountain. This 
night we pafled through little more than the half 
of it; arriving fome time before fun-fet at our 
lodgings, which was no other than a large cave, 
formed by one of the mofl ancient and venerable 
lavas. It is called La Spelonca dal Capriole^ or the 
goats cavern, becaufe frequented by thofe animals ; 
who take refuge there in bad weather. 

Here we were delighted with the contemplation of 
many grave and beautiful objefts ; the profpefb on aO 
fides is immenfe ; and we already feem to be lifted up 
from the earth, and to have got into a new world. 

Our cavern is furrounded by the mofl flately and 
majeftic oaks ; of the dry leaves of which, we made 
very comfortable beds ; and with our hatchets, which 
we had brought on purpofe, we had cut down great 
branches, and, in a fhort time, had a fire large enough 
to roaft an ox. I obferved my thermometer, and 
found, from 71 at Nicolofi, it had now fallen below 
60. The barometer flood at 24 : 2. In one end of our 
cave we flill found a great quantity of fnow, which 
feemed to be fent there on purpofe for us, as there 
was no water to be found. With this we filled our 
tea-kettle, as tea and bread and butter was the only 
fupper we had provided ; and probably the befl one 
to prevent us from being overcome by fleep or 
fatigue. 

Not a great way from this cavern, are two of the 
mofl beautiful mountains of all that nui-^ber that 
fpring from JEtna. I mounted one of oar beil 
jnulegj and with a good deal of difticuity arrived at 

H 3 the 



102 - A TOUR THROUGH 

the fummit of the highefl of them, jufl a little 
before fun-fet. The profpe-6: of Sicily, with the fur- 
rounding fea and all its ifrands, was wonderfully 
noble. The whole coiirfe of the river Semetus, the 
ruins of Hybla, and fever al other ancient towns ; the 
rich corn-fields and vineyards on the lower region 
of the mountain, and the amazing num.ber of beau- 
fcfui mountains below, made a delightful fcene. The 
hollow craters of thefe two mountains are each of 
them confiderably larger than that of Vefuvius. They 
are now filled with flately oaks, and covered to a 
great depth with the richeft foil. I obferved that this 
region of ^tna, like the former, is compofed of 
lava ; but this is now covered fo deep with earth, 
that it is no where to be feen, but in the beds of the 
torrents. In many of thefe it is worn down by the 
water to the depth of fifty or fixty feet, and in one 
of them fall confiderably more.— What an idea does 
not this give of the amazing antiquity of the eruptions 
of this mountain ! 

As foon as it v/as dark we retired to our cave and 
took poiTeflion of our bed of leaves. Our reft, how- 
ever, was fomewhat diflurbed by the noife .of a 
mountain that lay a good way off on our right. It 
difcharged quantities of fmoke, and made feveral ex- 
plofions like heavy cannon at a diftance ; but what is 
fmgular, Vv'e could obferve no appearance of fire. — 
This mountain was formed by an eruption in 1766, 
now upwards of four years ago ; the fire of which 
is not yet extinguifhed, neither is the lava by any 
means cold. This lava fpent its fury on a beautiful 
foreft, Vv^hich it laid vv^afce to the extent of a good 
many miles. In many places it has run into gullies 

of 



SICILY AKD MALTA. I03 

of a great depth, which it has filled up^ to the height^ 
we are told, of 200 feet. It is in thefe places where 
it retains the greatefl heat. On our road to-day we 
fcrambled up this lava, and went a confiderable way 
over its furface, which appeared perfedly cold ; hmt 
it is certain, that in many places it ftill emits volumes 
of fmoke, particularly after rain ; and the people 
fay, what I can readily believe, that this will con- 
tinue to be the cafe for fome years, where the lava is 
thickefl. A folid body of fire fome hundreds of feet 
thick, and of fo great an extent, muft certainly retain 
its heat for many years. The furface indeed foon 
becomes black and hard, and inclofes the liquid fire 
within, in a kind of folid box, excluding all impref- 
fions from the external air or from the weather. 
Thus I have feen, many months after eruptions of 
mount Vefuvius, a bed of lava, though only of a 
few feet thick, has continued red hot in the center 
long after the furface was cold ; and a flick thrud 
into its crevices, inftantly took fire, although there 
was no perceptible heat without. 

MalTa, a Sicilian author of credit, fays, he was at 
Catania eight years after the great eruption in 1669, 
and that he ftill found the lava in many places was 
not cold : But there is an eafy method of calculating 
the time that bodies take to. cool Sir Ifaac New- 
ton, I think, in his account of the comet of 1680, 
fuppofes the times to be as the fquares of their, 
diameters ; and finding that a folid ball of metal of 
two inches, made red hot, required upwards of an 
hour to become perfectly cold^ made the calculation 
from that to a body of the diameter of the earth, and 
found it would require upwards of twenty thouiand 

H 4 years. 



104 



A TOtJR THROUGH 



years. If this rule be jufl, you may eafily compute 
the time that the lava will take to become thoroughly 
cold; and that you may have time to do fo, I 
fliall here break off my letter, which I am obliged to 
write in bed, in a very awkward and difagreeable 
pofture ; the caufe of which iliall be explained to you 
in my next. Adieu. 

Ever yours. 



LETTER X. 

Catania, May 29th, at night. 

^^FTE R getting a comfortable nap on our bed of 
leaves in the Spelonca del Capriole, we awoke 
about eleven o'clock ; and melting down a fufficient 
quantity of fnow, we boiled our tea-kettle, and made 
a hearty meal, to prepare us for the remaining part 
of our expedition. We were nine in number ; for 
we had our three fervants, the Cyclops (our con- 
dudor) and two men to take care of our mules. The 
Cyclops now began to difplay his great knowledge of 
the mountain, and we followed him with implicit 
confidence. He conduced us over " Antres vaft, 
" and Deferts wild," where fcarce human foot had 
ever trod. Sometimes through gloomy forefts, which 
by day-light were delightful ; but now, from the 
univerfal darknefs, the ruflling of the trees ; the 
heavy, dull, bellowing of the mountain ; the vafl 
expanfe of ocean ftretched at an immenfe diftance 
below us; infpired a kind of av/ful horror. Some- 
times 



SICILY AND MALTA. 



times we found ourfelves afcending great rocks of 
lava, where, if oi:r mules (hould make but a falfe 
ftep, we miglit be thrown headlong over the preci- 
pice. However, by the alfiftance of the Cyclops, we 
overcame all thefe difficulties ; and he managed mat- 
ters fo well, that in the fpace of two hours we found 
we had got above the regions of vegetation ; and 
had left the forefts of ^tna far behind. Thefe ap- 
peared now like a dark and gloomy gulph below us, 
that furrounded the mountain. 

The profpe£l before us was of a very different na- 
ture ; we beheld an expanfe of fnow and ice that 
alarmed us exceedingly, and almod ftaggered our 
refolution. In the center of this, but flill at a great 
diftance, we defcried the high fummit of the moun- 
tain, rearing its tremendous head, and vomiting out 
torrents of fmoke. It indeed appeared altogether 
inacceffible, from the vafl extent of the fields of 
fnow and ice that furrounded it. Our diffidence was 
ftill increafed by the fentiments of the Cyclops. He 
told us, it often happened, that the furface of the 
mountain being hot below, melted the fnow in parti- 
cular fpots, and formed pools of water, where it was 
impoffible to forefee our danger ; that it likewife 
happened, that the furface of the water, as well as 
the fnow, was fometimes covered with black affies, 
that rendered it exceedingly deceitful ; that however, 
if we thought proper, he would lead us on with as 
much caution as poffible. Accordingly, after holding 
a council of war, which you knov/ people generally 
do when they are very much afraid, we detached our 
cavalry to the foreH: below, and prepared to clim^b 
the fnows. The Cyclops, after taking a great 

draught 



lo5 A TOUR THROUGH 

draught of hvandj^ defired us to be of good cheery 
tliat we had plenty of time, and might take as maHj 
refts as we pleafed. That the fnow could be little 
more than feven miles, and that we certainly ihould 
he able to pafs it before fun-rife. Accordingly, taking 
each of us a drain of liqueur, which foon removed 
every objedion, v/e began our march. 

The afcent for forne time was not iteep ; and as 
the furface of the fiiow funk a little, we had tolerable 
good footing; but as it foon began to grow fteeper. 
We found our labour greatly increafe : however, we 
determined to perfevei-e, calling to mind, in the midft 
of our labour, that the emperor Adrian and the phi- 
lcif)pher Plato had undergone the lame ; and from 
the fame motive too, (o fee the rifing fun from the 
top of JEtm, After incredible labour and fatigue, 
but at the fam.e time m.ixed with a great deal of plea- 
fure, we arrived before dawn at the ruins of an an- 
cient ftrudrure, called U Torre del Filcfofo^ fuppofed to 
have been built by the philofopher Empedocles, who 
took up his habitation here the better to Ifudy the 
nature of. mount j$ltna. By others it is fuppofed to 
be the ruins of a temple of Vulcan, whofe fhop, all 
the world knov/s (where he ufed to make excellent 
thunderbolts and celelfiai annour, as well as nets to 
catch his wife when, fhe went aftray) was ever kept 
in mount j^tna. Here we refted ourfelves for fome 
time, and made a frefh application to our liqueur 
bottle, which I am. perfuaded, both Vulcan and Em- 
pedocles, had they been here, would have greatly 
approved of after fuch a march. 

I found the mercury had fallen to 20 : 5. We 
had now time to pay our adorations in a filent con- 
templation 



SrCILY AND MALTA. 1 

templation of the fablime objefts of nature. The 
iky was clear, and the immenfe vault of the heavens 
appeared in awful majefty and fplendour. We found 
ourfelves more ftruck with veneration than below, 
and at firft Vv^ere at a lofs to know the caufe ; till we 
obferved with aftonilhment, that the number of flars 
feemed to be infinitely increafed ; and the light of 
each of them appeared brighter than ufual. The 
whitenefs of the milky way was like a pure flame 
that {hot acrofs the heavens ; and with the naked eye 
we could obferve clufrers of ftars that were invifible 
in the regions below. We did not at fii^ attend 
to. the caufe, nor recoiled: that we had now pafled 
through ten or' twelve thoufand feet of grofs vapour, 
that blunts and confufes every ray, before it reaches 
the furface of the earth. We were amazed at the 
diftindnefs of vifion, and exclaimed together. What 
a glorious fituation for an obfervatory ! had Empe- 
docles had the - eyes of Gallileo, what difcoveries 
muft he not have m.ade ! Y\[ e regretted that Jupiter 
was not vifible, as I am perfuaded we might have 
difcovered fome of his fateilites with the naked eye, 
or at lead with a fmall glafs which I had in my 
pocket. We obferved a light a great way below us 
on the mountain, which feemed to move amongft the 
forefts, but whether an Ignis Fatuus, or what it was, 
I fhall not pretend to fay. We likewife took notice 
of feverai of thofe meteo^ s called Falling Stars, which 
ftill appeared to be as much elevated above us, as 
when feen from the plain ; fo that in all probabi- 
lity, thofe bodies move in regions much beyond the 
bounds that fome philofophers have afligned to our 
atniofphere. - 

After 



A TOUR THROUGH 



After contemplating thefe objeds for fome time, 
we fet off^ and foon after arrived at the foot of the 
great crater of the mountain. This is of an exad: 
conical figure, and rifes equally on all fides. It is 
compofed foiely of allies and other burnt materials, 
difcharged from the mouth of the volcano, which is 
in its center. This conical mountain is of a very great 
fize : its circumference cannot be lefs than ten miles. 
Here we took a fecond reft, as the greateft part of 
our fatigue ftill remained. The mercury had fallen 
fa 20 : 4f . — We found this mountain exceflively 
i;eep ; and although it had appeared black, yet it wa& 
likewife covered Vvith fnow, but the furface (luckily 
for us) was fpread over with a pretty thick layer of 
aihes, thrown out from the crater. Had it not been 
for this, we never (hould have been able to get to the 
top ; as the fnow was every where frozen hard and 
folid, from the piercing cold of the air. 

In about an hour's cUmbing, we arrived at a place 
where there was no fnow ; and where a warm and 
comfortable vapour ilfued from the mountain, which 
induced us to make another halt. Here I found the 
mercury at 19: 6}, The thermometer was fallen 
three degrees below the point of congelation; and 
before we left the fummit of iEtna, it fell two degrees 
morcj viz. to 27.^ — ^From this fpot it was only about 
300 yards to the highell fummit of the mountain, 
where we arrived in full time, to fee the moil won • 
derful and mofl fublime fight in nature. 

But here defcription muft ever fall ftort ; for no 
imagination has dared to form an idea of fo glorious 
and fo magnificent a fcene. Neither is there on the 
furface of this globe, any one point that unites fo 

many 



StCILY AND MALTA. 



fiiciny awful and fublime objects.— The immeuf^ 
elevation from the furface of the earth, drawn as it 
were to a fingle point, without any neighbouring 
mountain for' the fenfes and imagination to reft upon, 
and recover frotn their aftonifhment in their way down 
to the world. This point or pinnacle, raifed on the 
brink of a bottomlefs gulph, as old as the worlds 
, often difcharging rivers of fire, and throwing out 
burning rocks, with a noife that lhakes the whole 
ifiand. Add to this, the unbounded extent of the 
profped, comprehending the greateft diverfity and 
the moft beautiful fcenery in nature ; with the rifing 
fun, advancing in the eaft, to illuminate the wondrous 
fcene. 

The whole atmofphere by degrees kindled up, and 
fliewed dimly and faintly the boundlefs profpe<Sb 
around. Both fea and land looked dark and confufed^ 
as if only emerging from their original chaos ; and 
light and darknefs feemed ft ill undivided ; till the 
morning by degrees advancing, completed the fe- 
paration. The ftars are extinguifhed, and the (hades 
difappear. The forefts, which but now feemed black 
and bottomlefs gulphs, from whence no ray was 
reflected to fiiew their form or colours, appear a new 
creation rifmg to tlie fight ; catching life and beauty 
froi)i every increafmg beam. The fcene ftill enlarges, 
and the horizon feems to widen and expand itfelf on 
all fides ; till the Sun, like the great Creator, appears 
in the eaft, and vAth his plaftic ray completes the 
mighty fcene.-- -All appears enchantment; and it is 
with difiiculty v/e can believe we are ftill on earth. 
The fenfets, unaccuftomed to the fublimity of fuch a 
fceae, are bevviidered and confounded } and it is not 

till 



no A TOUR THROUGH 

till after feme time, that they are capable of feparating 
and judging of the obje<3:s that compofe it. — The 
body of the Sun is feen rifmg from the ocean, immenfe 
tracks both of fea and land intervening ; the iflands 
of Lipari, Panari, Aiicudi, Strombolo, and Volcano, 
with their fmoking fumniits, appear under your feet ; 
and you look down on the whole of Sicily as on a 
map ; and can trace every river through all its 
windings, from i^s fource to its mouth. The view is 
abfoluteiy boundiefs on every fide ; nor is there any 
one object, within the circle of vifion, to interrupt it ; 
fo that the fight is every where lofl in the immenfity : 
and I am perfuaded it is only from the imperfection 
of our organs, that the coafts of Africa, and even of 
Greece, are not difcovered, as they are certainly above 
the horizon. The circumference of the vifible horizon 
on the top of ^tna cannot be lefs than 2000 miles : 
At Malta, which is near 200 miles diftant, they per- 
ceive all the eruptions from the fecond region ; and 
that ifland is often difcovered from about one half the 
elevation of the mountain ; fo that at the whole eleva- 
tion, the horizon muft extend to near double that 
dillance, or 400 miles, which makes 800 for the dia- 
meter of the circle, and 2400 for the circumference. 
But this is by much too vaft for our fenfes, not inten- 
ded to grafp fo boundiefs a fcene. I find, indeed, by 
fome of the Sicilian authors, particularly Maifa, that 
the African coaft, as well as that of Naples, with 
many of its iflands, have been difcovered from the top 
of JEtm. Of this, however, we cannot boaft, though 
we can very well believe it. Indeed, if we knew the 
height of the mountain, it would be eafy to calculate 
the extent of its vifible horizon j and {vice ver/a) if 

its 



SICILY AND MALTA. 



Ill 



its vifible horizon was exaftly afcertained. It would 
be an dafy matter to calculate the height of the moun- 
tain.— But the moil beautiful part of the fcene is cer- 
tainly the mountain itfelf ; the ifiand of Sicily, and 
the numerous iflands lying round it. All thefe, by a 
kind of magic in vifion, that I am at a lofs to account 
for, feem as if they were brought clofe round the 
ikirts of ^tna ; the diiiances appearing reduced to 
nothing. — Perhaps this fmguia^* eifed is produced by 
the rays of light pafTing from a rarer medium into a 
denfer ; v/hich (from a well known law in optics) to 
an obferver in the rare medium, appears to lift up the 
objeds that are at the bottom of the denfe one ; as a 
piece of money placed in a bafon appears lifted up as 
foon as the bafon is hlled with water. 

The Regione Deferta^ or the frigid zone of yEtna, 
is the hril objetl that calls your attention. It is marked 
out by a circle of fnow and ice, which extends on all 
fides to the diftance of about eight miles. In the 
center of this circle, the great crater of the mountain 
rears its burning head ; and the regions of intenfe 
cold and of intenfe heat feem for ever to be united in 
the fame point.— On the north fide of the fnowy 
region/they affure us, there are feveral fmall lakes 
that are never thav/ed ; and that in many places, the 
fnow, mixed with the afnes and falts of the mountain, 
is accumulated to a vaft depth : And indeed I fuppofe 
the quantity of falts contained in this mountain, is'one 
great reafon of the pref;rvation of its fiiows.—The 
Regione Deferta is immediately fucceeded by the ' . 
Syhofa, or the woody region j which forms a circle ' ^ 
or girdle of the mod beautiful green, which ilirrounds 
the mountain on all ficiss, and is certainly one of the 

mod 



/ 



112 A TOUIt THROUGH 

mod delightful fpots on earth. This prefents a re- 
markable contrail with the defert region. It is not 
fniooth and even, like the greateil part of the latter ; 
but it is finely variegated by an infinite number of 
thofe beautiful little mountains that have been formed 
by the different eruptions of iEtna. All thefe have 
now acquired a wonderful degree of fertility, except 
a very few that are but newly formed ; that is, within 
thefe five or fix hundred years : For it certainly re- 
quires fome thoufands to bring them to their greateft 
degree of perfection. We looked down into the 
craters of thefe, and attempted, but in vain, to 
number them. 

The circumference of this zone or great circle on 
^tna is not lefs than 70 or 80 miles. It is every 
where fucceeded by the vineyards, orchards, and 
corn-fields that compofe the Regione Culta^ or the 
fertile region. This lafl zone is much broader than 
the others, and extends on all fides to the foot of the 
mountain. Its whole circumference, according to 
Recupero, is 183 miles. It is likewife covered with a 
number of little conical and fpherical mountains, and 
exhibits a wonderful variety of formes and colours, 
and makes a delightful contrafh with the other two 
regions. It is bounded by the fea to the fouth and 
fouth-eaft, and on all its other fides by the rivers 
Semetus and Alcantara^ v/hich run almofl round it. 
The whole courfe of thefe rivers is feen at once, and 
all their beautiful v/indings tlirough thefe fertile 
valleys, looked upon as the favourite pofTeflion of 
Ceres herfelf, and the very fcene of the rape of her 
daughter Proierpine. 

6- Cafl 



SICILY AND MALTA. II3 

Caft your eyes a little farther, and you embrace 
the whole ifland, and fee all its cities, rivers and 
mountains, delineated in the great chart of Nature : 
All the adjacent iflands, the whole coail of Italy, as 
far as your eye can reach ; for it is no where bound- 
ed, but every where loft in the fpace. On the fun's 
firft rifmg, the fhadow of the mountain extends 
acrofs the whole ifland, and makes a large track 
vifible even in the fea and in the air. Ey degrees this 
is fliortened, and, in a little time, is confined only to 
the neighbourhood of ^tna. 

We now had time to examine a fourth region of 
this wonderful mountain, very different, indeed^ 
from the others, and productive of very different 
fenfations ; but which has, undoubtedly, given being 
to all -the reft ; I mean the region of fire. 

The prefent crater of this immenfe volcano is a 
circle of about three miles and a half in circumfe« 
rence. It goes flielving down on each fide, and 
form.s a regular hollow like a vaft amphitheatre. 
From many places of this fpace, iffue volumes of 
fulphureous fmoke, which, being much heavier than 
the circumxambient air, inftead of rifing in it, as fmoke 
generally does, immediately on its getdng out of the 
crater, rolls down the fide of the mountain like a 
torrent, till coming to that part of the atmofphere of 
the fame fpecific gravity v^^ith itfelf, it (lioots off hori- 
zontally, and forms a large track in the air, ac- 
cording to the direction of the wind ; which happily 
for us, carried it exatlly to the fide oppofite to that 
where we were placed. The crater is fo hot, that it 
is very dangerous, if not impofTible, to go down into 
it 5 befides, the fmoke is very incommodious, and, 

I in 



114 



A TOUR THROUGH 



in many places, the furface is fo foft, there have 
been inftances of people finking down in it, and pay- 
ing for thei? temerity with their lives. ^ Near the 
centre of the crater is the great mouth of the volcano. 
That tremendous gulph fo celebrated in all ages, 
looked upon as the terror and fcourge both of this 

and another life ; and equally ufeful to ancient poets, 
or to modern divines, when the Mufe, or when the 
Spirit infpires. We beheld it with awe and with 
horror, and were not furprifed that it had been con- 
fidered as the place of the damned* When we refled 
on the immenfity of its depth, the vafl cells and ca- 
verns whence fo many lavas have iflued ; the force 
of its internal fire, to raife up thofe lavas to fo vafl a 
height, to fupport it as it were in the air, and even 
force it over the very fummit of the crater, with all the 
dreadful accompaniments ; the boiling of the matter., 
the fliaking of the m.ountain, the explofions of flam- 
ing rocks, we muft allow, that the mod enthu- 
fiaftic imagination, in the midfl of all its terrors^ 
hardly ever formed an idea of a hell more dreadful. 

It was with a mixture both of pleafure and pain, 
that we quitted this awful fcene. But the wind had 
arifen very high, and clouds began to gather round 
the mountain : In a fbort time they formed like an- 
other heaven below us, and we were in hopes of 
feeing a thunder- florm under out feet: A fcene that 
is not uncommon in thefe exalted regions, and which 
I have already feen on the top of the high Alps : But 
the clouds were foon difpelled again by the force of the 
wind, and we were difappointed in our expe^lations. 

1 had often been told of the great effect produced 
by difcharging a gun on the top of high mountains.. 

I tried 



SICILY AND MALTA. 



I tried it here, when we were a good deal farprifed 
to find, that inftead of increafing the found, it was 
almoft reduced to nothing. The report was not 
equal to that of a pocket-piftol : We compared it to 
the ftroke of a flick on a door ; and furely it is con- 
fident with reafon, that the thinner the air is, the 
lefs its impreffion muft be on the ear ; for in a va- 
cuum there can be no noife, or no im.preffion can be 
made ; and the nearer the approach to a vacuum, 
the impreflion mufi: always be the fmaller. Where 
thofe great effeds have been produced, it muft have 
been amongft a number of mountains, where the 
found is reverberated from one to the other. 

When v/e arrived at the foot of the cone, we ob- ^ 
ferved fome rocks of an incredible fize, that have 
been difcharged from the crater. The largeft that 
has been obferved from Vefuvius, is a round one of 
about twelve feet diameter. Thefe are much greater ; 
indeed almoft in proportion of the mountains to each 
other. 

On our arrival at the Torre del Filofofo, we could 
not help admiring, that the ruins of this ftrudure 
have remained uncovered for fo many ages, fo near 
the top of JEtm, vAien thoufands of places at a great 
diftance from it, have been repeatedly buried by its 
lavas, in a much fhorter time. A proof that few 
eruptions have rifen fo high in the mountain. 
- Empedocles Vv^as a native of Agrigentum, and is 
fuppofed to have died 400 years before the Chriftian 
jera. Perhaps^his vanity more than his philofophy 
led him to this elevated fituation ; nay, it is faid to 
have carried him ftill much farther : — That he might. 
b$ looked upon as a god, and that the people might 

I 2 fuppofe 



A TOUR THROUGH 



fuppo-fe he was taken up to heaven, he is r^corcfed 
to have thrown himfeh^ headlong into the great gulpK 
of mount ^tna, never fuppofing that his death could 
be difcovered to mankind ; but the treacherous moun- 
tain threw out his flippers, which were of brafs, and 
announced to the world the fate of the philofopher,. 
who, by his death, as well as life, wanted only to 
impofe upon mankind, and make them believe that 
he was greater than they. 

However, if there is fuch a thing as philofophy on 
earth, this furely ought to be its feat. The profpe£l 
is little inferior to that from the fummit ; and the 
mind enjoys a^ degree of ferenity here, that even few 
philofophers, I believe, could ever boaft of on that 
tremendous point,— -All Nature lies expanded below 
your feet, in her gayed and mod luxuriant drefs, and 
, you ilill behold united under one point of view, all 
the feafons of the year, and all the clim-ates of ,the 
earth. The meditations are ever elevated in pro- 
portion to the grandeur and fublimity of the objeds 
that furround us ; and here, where you have ail Na- 
ture to aroufe your admiration, what mind can re- 
main ina£live ? 

it has likewife been obferved, and from experience 
I can fay with truth ; that on the tops of the higheft 
mountains, where the air is fo pure and refmed ; and 
¥/here there is not that immenfe weight of grofs va- 
pours prefEng upon the body ; the mind acts with 
greater freedom, and all the fundions both of foul and 
body are performed in a fuperior manner. It would 
appear, that in proportion as we are raifed above the 
habitations of men, all lov\^ and vulgar fentiments are 
left behind ^ and tliat the foul^ in approaching the 

a^thereal 



SICILY AND MALTA. II7 

sethereal regions, fhakes off its earthly affedions, and 
already acquires fomething of their celeflial purity.— 
Here, where you fland under a ferene Iky, and 
behold, with equal ferenity, the temped and florm 
forming below your feet ; the lightning, darting 
from cloud to cloud, and the thunder rolling round 
the mountain, and threatening with deftrucStion the 
poor wretches below ; the mind confiders the little 
ftorms of the human palnons as equally below her 
notice. — Surely the fituadon alone, is enough to 
infpire philofophy, and Empedocles had good reafon 
for chufing it. 

But, alas ! how vain are all our reafonings! la the 
very midll of thefe meditations, my philofophy Vv^as 
at once overfet, and in a moment I found myfelf 
re-lapfed into a poor miferable mortal ; was obliged 
to own, that pain was the greateft of evils ; and 
would have given the world to have been once more 
arrived at thofe humible habitations, which but a m.o- 
ment before, I had looked down upon v/ith fuch con- 
tem.pt. — In running over the ice, my leg folded under 
me, and I received fo violent a fprain, that in a few 
minutes it fwelled to a great degree, and I found 
myfelf unable to put my foot to the ground. Every 
mufcle and fibre was at that time chijied and froze 
by the extreme cold, the thermometer continuing ftill 
below the point of congelation. It was this circum- 
flance, I fuppofe, that made the pain fo violent ; for 
I lay a confiderable time on the ice in great agony : 
Hov/ever, in thefe exalted regions, it was impofTible 
to have a horfe, or a carriage of any kind ; and your 
poor philofopher was obliged to hop on one leg, with 

I 3 two 



II 8 A TOUR THROUGH 

two men fupporting him, for feveral miles over the 
fnow ; and our wags here allege, that he left the 
greateft part of his philofophy behind him, for the 
ufe of Empedocles's heirs and fuccelTors. 

I was happy to get to my mule, but when I once 
more found myfelf on our bed of leaves in the Spe- 
lonca del Capriole, I thought I was in Paradife : So 
true it is, that a removal of pain is the greateft of 
pleafures. The agony I fuffered, had thrown me into 
a profufe fweat and a fever ; however, in an inflant 
I fell fall afleep, and in an hour and a half, awaked 
in perfed health. We had an excellent diOi of tea, 
the mod refrefhing and agreeable I ever drank in all 
my life. 

We left the fummit of the mountain about fix 
o'clock, and it was eight at night before we reached a 
Catania. — We obferved, both with pleafure and pain, 
the change of the climate as we defcended. — From 
the regions of the moft rigid winter, we foon arrived 
at thofe of the moft delightful fpring. On hrft enter- 
ing the forefts, the trees were ftili bare as in Decem- 
ber, not a fingle leaf to be feen ; but after we had 
defcended a few miles, we found ourfelves in the 
mildeft, and the fofteft of chmates ; the trees in full 
verdure, and the fields covered with all the flowers 
of the fummer; but as foon as we got out of the 
woods, and entered the torrid zone, we found the 
heats altogether infupportable, and fufFered dread- 
fully from them before we reached the city. On the 
road I faw many mountains which I intended to have 
vifited, but my fprain put it out of my power. One 
of the mod remarkable is called the Monte Pell fe^ 

the 



SICILY AND MALT At II9 

the lava of which deflroyed the great aquedu£l of 
Catania for eighteen miles. It has here and there left 
a few arches ; but nothing of any confequence. 

Not far from this mountain (lands the Monte Vic-- 
toria^ one of the mofl: beautiful of all the numerous 
family of ^tna. It is of a pretty large fize, and per- 
fectly regular, and feems to be in the gayeft drefs of 
any. Many of its trees, which, at a diflance, we took 
to be oranges and citrons, appeared to be in full 
blow. It was the lava of this mountain that is faid 
to have covered up the port of Ulylfes, which is now 
three miles diftant from the fea ; but I {hould fuppofe 
this eruption to have been much older than either 
Ulyffes or Troy. 

On our arrival at Catania, we went immediately 
to bed, being exceedingly oppreffed by the fatigue 
of our expedition ; but ftill more by the violent heat 
of the day : A day, in which, I think, I have enjoyed 
a greater degree of pleafure, and fuffered a greater 
degree of pain, than in any other day of my life. 

As my leg continues very much fwelled, I am flill 
confined to my room, and moftiy, indeed, to my 
bed, from whence I have written you the greateft 
part of thefe two epillles, the enormous length of 
which I am afhamed of. However, as I have ftill 
omitted feveral articles, that I intended to take notice 
of, I fhall add a fequel to-morrow ; and fo conclude 
my account of mount ^tna. Had it not been for 
this abominable fprain, that holds me faft by the 
foot, you probably had not got off fo eafily ; but I 
am obliged to drop all farther thoughts of climbing 
mountains, though there are many things I flill 
wanted to examine. Adieu. 

Ever yours. 

14 



120 



A TOUR THROUG^ 



LETTER XL 

Catania, May ^otk, 
E took care to regulate two barometers at tha 
foot of the mountain. One of which was left 
with the Canonico Recupero, and the other we car- 
ried along with us. The former, our friend aiTures 
us, had no fenfible variation during our abfence. We 
both left it and found it at 29 inches 8 lines and a 
half, Englifh meafure On our arrival at Catania, 
the one we carried up with us had rifen again exadly 
to the fame point, 

I have likewife a good quick-filver thermometer, 
which I borrowed from the Neapolitan philofopher^ 
the Padre della Torre, vA\o furniihed us with letters 
for this place, and would have accompanied us, could 
he have obtained leave of the king. It is made by 
Adams at London, and (as I myfelf proved) exaftly 
graduated from the two points of freezing and boiL 
ing water. It is upon Farenheit's fcale. I fhall 
mark the heights in the different regions of /Etna, 
-with the rules for eflimating the elevation of m^oun- 
tains by the barometer, which, I am forry to fay 9, 
have been hitherto fo very ill afcertained. Caffini^ 
Boguer, and the others who have written on the 
fubjeci, to the reproach of fcience, differing fo much 
amongft themfelves, that it is with difficulty we can 
come near the truth. 

^tna has been often meafured, but I believe never, 
with any degree of accuracy 5 and it is really a fhame 

to 



SI-CILY AND MALTA, 



1$I 



to the fociety eftabliflied in this place, called tha 
^tnean academy, whofe original inftitution was ta 
ftudy the nature and operations of this wonderful 
mountain. It was my full intention to have mea- 
fured it geometrically ; but I am forry to fay, al- 
though this is both the feat of an academy and uni- 
yerfity, yet there v/as no quadrant to be had. Of 
all the mountains I have ever feen, ^tna would be 
the eafiefl to meafure, and with the greatefl cer- 
tainty, and perhaps the properell: place on the globe 
to eftabhfh an exa6l rule of menfuration by the ba- 
rometer. There is a beach of a vail extent, that 
begins exactly at the foot of the mountain, and runs 
for a great many miles along the coaft. The fea- 
mark of this beach forms the meridian to the fummit 
of the mountain. Here you are fure of a perfed: 
level, and may make the bafe of your triangle of 
what length you pleafe. But unfortunately this men- 
furation has never been executed, at lead with any 
tolerable degree of precifion. 

Kircher pretends to have meafured it, and to have 
found it 4000 French toifes in height ; which is more 
than any of the Andes, or indeed than any mountain 
upon earth. The Italian mathematicians are fliil 
more abfurd. Some of them make it eight miles, 
fome fix, and fome four. Amici, the laft, and I 
believe the bell w^ho has made the attempt, reduces 
it to three miles 264 paces; but even this nm'i be 
exceedingly erroneous ; and probably the perpendicu- 
lar height of ^tna does not exceed 12,000 feet, or 
little more than two miles. I fhall mark the diffe- 
rent methods of determining heights by the barome- 
ter 5 and you may chufe which you pleafe. I believe 

the 



122 



A TOUR THROUGH 



the allowance m all of them, particularly in great 
elevations, where the air is fo exceedingly thin and 
light, is much too fmali. Mikeii, whofe menfura- 
tions are efleemed more exad, has ever found it fo. 
Caffini allows, I think, ten French toifes of eleva- 
tion, for every line of mercury, adding one foot to 
the firfl ten, tvv^o to the fecond, three to the third, 
and fo on : But furely the weight of the air diminilhes 
in a much greater proportion* 

Boguer takes the difference of the logarithms of 
the height of the barometer in lines (fuppofmg 
thefe logarithms to confift only of five figures); 
from this difference he takes away a 30th part, and 
what remains he fuppofes to be the difference of 
elevation. I do not recoiled: his reafon for this fbp- 
pofition ; but the rule feems to be ftill more erro- 
neous than the other, and has been entirely laid 
afide, I am told, that accurate experiments have 
been made at Geneva, to eflablifh the menfuration 
with the barometer ; but I have not yet been able to 
procure them. Mr. de la Hire allows twelve toifes, 
four feet for the line of mercury : And Picart, one 
of the mofl exa6l the French academicians, four- 
teen toifes, or about ninety Englifh feet. 

Height of Farenheit's Thermometer. 

At Catania, May 26, at mid-day - - 76 
Ditto, May 27, at five in the morning - 72 

At Nicolofi, 12 miles up the mountain, mid- 
day - - ' ^ ' 73 
At the cave, called Spelonca del Capriole, in 
the fecond region, where there was ftill a 

confiderable 



SICILY AND MALTA. 



123 



' confiderable quantity of fnow, at feven at 

night - - - - 5i 

In the fame cave at half an hour pad eleven - 52 
At the Torre del Filofofo, in the third region, 

at three in the morning - 34I 

At the foot of the crater of iEtna - - 33 

About half-way up the crater - - 29 

On the fummit of ^tna, a little before fun-rife 27 

Height of the Barometer in inches and lines. 

At the fea-fide at Catania - - 29 8f 

At the Tillage of Piedmonte, in the firft 

region of ^tna - - - 27 8 

At Nicolofi, in the fame region - - 27 if 
At the Caftagno de Cento Cavalli, in the 

fecond region - - - 26 5I 

At the Spelonca del Capriole, in the fecond 

region - - - 24 2 

At the Torre del Filofofo, in the third re- 
gion - - - 20 5 
At the foot of the crater - - 20 4I 
Within about 300 yards of the fummit - 19 6| 
At the fummit of ^tna (fuppofed to be 

about) - - - 19 4 

The wind at the fummit was fo violent that I could 
not make the obfervation with perfe6l exaftnefs; 
however, I am pretty certain that it was within half 
a line. 

I own I did not believe we fhould find ^tna fo 
high. I had heard indeed that it was higher than 

any of the Alps, but I never gave credit to it : 

How 



124 



A TOUR THROUGH 



How great then was my aftonilliment to find that 
the mercury feli almofl two inches lower than I had 
ever obferved it on the very higheft of the acceffible 
Alps ; at the fame time I am perfuaded there are 
many inacceffible points of the Alps, (particu- 
hrly Mont Blanc) that are ftiil much higher than 
iEtna. 

I found the magnetical needle greatly agitated near 
the fummit of the mountain ; (the Padre deila Torre 
told me, he had made the fame obfervation on 
Vefuvius) however, it always fixed at the north pointy 
though it took longer time in fixing than below. 
But what Recupero told me happened to him, was 
very fingular. — Soon after the eruption 1755, he 
placed his compafs on the lava. The needle, he 
fays, to his great allonifiiment, was agitated with 
much violence for fome confiderable time, till at lad 
I it entirely loft its magnetical power, ftanding indif- 
criminately at every point of the compafs ; and this 
it never after recovered, till it was again touched 
with the loadftone. 

The wind, and my unfortunate fprain together, in 
a great meafure prevented our eledrical experiments, 
on which we had built not a little ; however, 1 found 
that round Nicolofi, and particularly on the top of 
Monpelieri, the air was in a very favourable ftate for 
eledrical operations. Here the little pith-balls, when 
infolated, were fenfibly afFeded, and repelled each 
other above an inch. I expeded this eledrical ftate 
of the air would have increafed as we advanced on 
the mountain ; but at the cave where we flept, I 
could obferve no fuch effed. Perhaps, it was owing 
to the exhalations from the trees and vegetables, 
7 _ which 



SICILY AND MALTA. 12^ 

which are there exceedingly luxuriant ; whereas about 
Nicolofi, and round Monpelieri, there is hardly any 
thing but lava and dry hot fand. — Or perhaps it 
might be owing to the evening being farther advan- 
ced, and the dews beginning to fall. However, I have 
no doubt, that upon thefe mountains formed by 
eruption, where the air is ftrongly impregnated with 
fulphureous effluvia, great eledrical difcoveries might 
be made. And perhaps, of all the reafons affigned for 
the wonderful vegetation that is performed on this 
mountain, there is none that contributes fo much to*, 
wards it, as this conflant eledrical ftate of the air : . 
For from a variety of experiments it has been found, 
that an increafe of the eledricai matter adds much to 
the progrefs of vegetation. It probably ads there in 
the fame manner as on the animal body ; — the circu- 
lation we know is performed quicker ; and the juices, 
are driven through the fmall veiTels with more eafe 
and celerity. This has often been proved from the 
immediate removal of obftrudions by eleciricity 
and probably the rubbing vAth dry and warm fiannelj 
elleemed fo erEcacious in fuch cafes, is doing nothing 
more than exciting a greater degree of eleciricity in 
the part ; but it has likewife been demonllrated, by 
the common experiment of making water drop 
through a fmall capillary fyphon, which the moment 
it is eledrified runs in a full ftream. — I have, indeed, 
very little doubt, that the fertility of our feafons de- 
pends as much on this quality in the air, as either on 
its heat or moiftare. 

■ Eleciricity will probably foon be confidered as the 
great vivifying principle of Nature, by v/hich {he 
carries on m.ofl of her operations,— It is a fifth ele- 
ment. 



llS A TOUn THROUGH 

ment, diflind from, and of a fuperior nature to the 
other four, which only compofe the corporeal parts 
of matter ; But this fubtile and active fluid is a kind 
of foul that pervades and quickens every particle of 
it.— When an equal quantity of . this is diffufed 
through the air, and over the face, of the earth, 
every thing continues calm and quiet ; but if by any 
accident one part of matter has acquired a greater 
quantity than another, the moft -dreadful confequences 
often enfue before the equiKbrium can be reftored. — 
Nature feems to fall into convulfions, and many of 
her works are deftroyed : — All the great phasnomena 
are produced ; thunder, Hghtning, earthquakes, and 
whirlwinds ; For, I believe, there is little doubt, that 
all thefe frequently depend on this fole caufe. And 
again, if we look down from the fublime of nature to 
its minutiae, we fliall ftill find the fame power a£ling, 
though perhaps in lefs legible charaders ; for as the 
knowledge of its operations is ftill in its infancy, they 
are generally mifunderflood, or afcribed to fome other 
caufe. However, I have no doubt, that in procefs of 
time thefe will be properly invefligated ; when mankind 
will wonder how much they have been in the dark. 
It will then pofTibly be found, that what we call fen- 
fibility of nerves, and many of thofe difeafes that the 
faculty have as yet only invented names for, are owing 
to the body's being poiTeffed of too large or too fmall 
a quantity of this fubtile and adive fluid ; that very 
fluid, perhaps, that is the vehicle of all our feelings ; 
and which they have fo long fearched for in vain iu 
the nerves : For I have fometimes been led to think, 
that this fenfe was nothing elfe than a flighter kind of 
eledric eifeci:, to which the nerves ferve as conduc- 
tors 5 



SICILY AND MALTA. J 27 

tors ; and that it is by the rapid circulation of this pe- 
netrating and animating fire that our fenfations are 
performed. We all know, that in damp and hazy 
weather, when it feems to be blunted and abforbed 
by the humidity ; when its adivity is loft, and little 
or none of it can be collecied ; we ever find our 
fpirits more languid, and our fenfibiiity lefs acute : 
but in the Sirocc wind at Naples, when the air feems 
totally deprived of it, the whole fyftem is unftrung, 
and the nerves feem to lofe both their tenfion and 
elafticity, till the north or weft wind awakens the ac- 
tivity of this animating power, which foon reftores 
the tone, and enlivens all nature, which feemed to 
droop and languifti during its abfence. 

It is hkewife v/ell known, that there have been in- 
ftances of the human body becoming eledric without 
the mediation of any eledlric fubftance, and even 
emitting fparks of fire with a difagreeable fenfation, 
and an extreme degree of nervous fenfibiiity. 

About feven or eight years ago, a lady in Switzer- 
land was affeded in this manner, and though I was 
not able to learn all the particulars of her cafe, yet 
feveral Swifs gentlemen have confirmed to me the 
truth of the ftory. — She was uncommonly fenfible of 
every change of weather, and had her electrical 
feelings ftrongeft in a clear day, or during the paftage 
of thunder- clouds, when the air is known to be 
replete with that fluid. Her cafe, lil^.e m.oft others 
vv^hich the doctors can make nothing of, was decided 
to be a nervous one ; for the real meaning of that 
term I take to be only, that the phyfician does not 
underftand what it is. 

Two 



128 



A TOUR THROUGH 



Two gentlemen of Geneva had a fliort experience 
of the fame fort of complaint, though ftill in a much 
fuperior degree. — ProfeiTor SaulTure and young Mn 
Jalabert, when travelliiig over one of the high Alps, 
were caught amongft thunder-clouds; and to their 
utter aftoniiliment, found their bodies fo full of 
eledrical fire, that fpontaneous flaflies darted from 
their fingers with a crackling noife, and the fame kind 
of -^fenfation as when flrongly eledrified by art.— This 
was communicated by Mr. Jalabert to the Academy 
of Sciences at Paris, I think, in the year 1763 ; and 
you will find it recorded in their memoirs. 

It feems pretty evident, I think, that thefe feelings 
were owing to the bodies being poiTeffed of too great 
a (hare of eleQric fire. This is an uncommon cafe ; 
but I do not think it at all improbable, that many of 
cur invalids, particularly the hypochondriac, and thofe 
we call Malades Imaghiaires^ owe their difagreeable 
feelings to the oppofite caufe, or the bodies being 
poffeffed of too fmall a quantity of this fire j for we 
find that a diminution of it in the air feldom fails to 
increafe their uneafy fenfations, and vice verfa. 

Perhaps it might be of lervice to thefe people to 
wear fome electric fubdance next their fldn, to defend 
tlie nerves and fibres from the damp, or non-ele6lric 
air. — I would propofe a waiftcoat of the finefl: flannel^ 
which fliould be kept perfectly clean and dry ; for 
the efHuvia of the body, in cafe of any violent perfpi- 
ration, will foon deftroy its eledric quality : This 
Ihould be covered by another of the fame fize of filk. 
The animal heat, and the fridlion that exercife mufl 
occafion betwixt thefe two fubftances, produce a pow- 
erful eleciricity ^ and would form a kind of eledric 

atmof- 



SICILY AND MALTA. I29 

atmofphere around the body, that might pofiibly be 
one of the bed prefervatives againfl the effed of 
damps. 

As for our Swifs lady, I have little doubt that her 
complaints were owing in great part, perhaps en= 
tirely, to her drefs ; and that a very fmall akeratioHj 
^almoft in any part of it, would efiedually have cured 
her. A lady who 1 as her head furrounded with 
wires, and her hair fluck full of metal pins, and who 
at the fame time Ifands upon dry filk, is to all intents 
and purpofes an eledrical condudor infolated, and 
prepared for collecting the fire from the atmofphere : 
And it is not at all furprifmg, that during thunder- 
ftorms, or when the air is extremely replete with 
ele£lrical matter, (he iliould emit fparks, and exhibit 
other appearances of electricity. —I imagine a very 
trifling change of drefs^ which from the conflant 
verfatility of their modes may fome day take place, 
would render this lady's difeafe altogether epidemical 
amongft the fex. — ^Only let the foles of their (lioes 
be made of an eleftric fubftance, and let the wires 
^ of their caps, and pins of their hair, be fomewhat 
lengthened and pointed outwards ; and I think there 
is little doubt, that they will often find themfelves in 
an electrified Hate : — -But, indeed, if they only wear 
filk, or even worded ftockings, it may fometimes 
prove fulFicient ; for I have often infolated eleCrTo- 
meters as perfectly by placing them on a piece of dry 
filk or flannel, as on glafs. 

How little do our ladies imaginej when they fur* 
round their heads with wire, the moft powerful of all 
conductors; and at the fame time wear ftockingSj 
ftioes, and gowns of filk, one of the moft powerful 

K repel- 



A TOUR THROUGH 



repellents, that they prepare their bodies in the fan>e 
manner, and according to the fame principles, as 
electricians prepare their conductors for attrading the 
fire of lightning. ! If they cannot be brought to relin- 
quifh their wire caps and thdr pins, might they not 
fall upon fome fuch prefervative as thofe which of 
late years have been applied to objeds of kfs con- 
fequence ? 

Suppofe that every iady fhould provide herfeif with 
a frnall chain or wire, to be hooked on at pleafure 
during thunder-ftormSo This fhould pafs from her 
cap over the thickefl part of her hair, which will 
prevent the fire from being communicated to her 
head ; and fo down ta the ground.— It is plain this 
will a6t in the fame manner as the condudors on the 
tops of fteepks, tvhich from the metal fpires that are 
commonly placed there^. analogous to the pins and 
wires, were fo liable to accidents-. You may laugh at 
all this ; but I aifure you I never was more ferious in 
my life* A very amiable lady of my acquaintance^ 
Mrs. Douglas, of Kelfo, had almoft loH her life by 
one of thofe caps mounted on wire. She was (land- 
ing at an open windbw during a thunder- florm z 
The lightning v/as attracted by the wire, and the cap 
was burnt to afhes ; happily her hair was in its natu- 
ral {late, without powder, pomatum, or pins ; and 
prevented the fire from being condu£i;ed to her head ; 
for as Ihe felt no kind of fhock, it is probabk that it 
went off from the wires of the cap to the wall, clofe 
to which flie then ftood. If it had found any con- 
dufkor to carry it to her head or bpdy, in all proba- 
bility fhe. mufl have been killed.-^A good ftrong 
head of hair, if it is kept perfedly clean and dry^, is 

probably 



SICliY AND MALTA. I"^ 5 

probably one of the bed prefervatives againfl: the fire 
of lightning. But fd foon as it is fluffed full of powder 
and pomatum, and bound together with pins, its re- 
pellent force is lod, and it becomes a conduclor *« 
— But I beg pardon for thefe furmife?^ : I throw them 

-in your way only for you to improve upon at your 
leifure : For we have it ever in our pov/er to be 
making experiments in eiedricity. And although 

.this fluid is the moil fubtle and acbive of any we 
know, we can comm.and it on all occaiions ; and I 
am now fo accuftomed to its operations, that I feldom 
comb my hair, or pull off a ftocking, vv^ithout ob^ 
ferving them under fome form or other. How fur- 



* Since the writing of thefe letters, the author has made 
fome experiments on the eie£lricity cf hair 5 which tend ftill to 
convince him the more of what he has advanced. A lady had 
toid him, that on combing her hair in frofty weather, in die 
dark, fhe had fometiraes obferved fparks of fire to iifae from 
It. This made him think of attempting to coIle6t the eiectricat 
fire from hair aloncj without the afhrtance of any other elec- 
trical apparatns. To this end? he defired a young lady to Hand 
on a cake of bees-wax, and to comb her fifter's haio, v/ho was 

fitting on a chair before her. Soon after fbe began to comb, 

the young lady on the wax was greatly af^oni filed to find her 
whole body eleftrified ; darting out fparks of fire againil eve.'y 
obje61: that approached her. The hair was extrcniely eledrical, 
and afFeded an eleftrometer at a very great diftance s He 
charged a metal conductor from it with great eafe ; arid in the 
fpace of a few minute*; coliei5^ed as much fire immedfately 
from the hair, as to kindle common fpirits ; and by means, 
of a fmali phial, gave many fmart (hocks to all the company. 
A full account of thefe experiments was latch/ read before the 
Royal Society. They were made during the time of a very 
hard frof^, and on a {Irong head of hair, whtre no powder or 
poraatU!n..had: been yfed for many mpnths. 

K 2 P^^^^S 



^ TOUR THROUGH 

[ prifing is it then, that mankind fhould have lived and 
breathed in it for fo many thoufand years, without 
almoil ever fuppofmg that it exifted ! But to return 
to our mountain. 

Recupero told me he had obferved the fame phe- 
nomenon here that is common in the eruptions of 
mount VefuviuSj viz. red forked lightning darting 
from the fmoke, without being followed by the noife 
of thunder. The reafon poflibly is, that the crater 
and fmoke is at that time fo highly ele£lrical, that 
like a cylinder or globe, heated by fridion, it throws 
off fpontaneous flailies into the air^ without being 
brought into the attraction of any condudor, or 
body lefs eleClric than itfelf ; (indeed the fpontaneous 
difcharges from a good eledrical globe, /often bear a 
perfed refemblance to this kind of lightning), how- 
ever, if a non eleclric cloud were to pafe near 
the crater at that time, the crafh of thunder would 
probably be very violent, which indeed is often the 
cafe when the air is full of wet clouds in the time of 
txi eruption ; but when this does not happen, the 
equilibrium is probably reflored by degrees, and 
without any ihock, from the furplus of eledlrical 
matter being gradually communicated to the earth 
and fea all around the mountain ; the immenfe lavas 
that have run from it, ferving as condu£lors. 

So highly eleclric is the vapour of volcanos, that 
it has been obferved in fome eruptions both of j3itna 
and Vefuvius, that the whole track of fmoke, which 
fometimes extended above loo miles, produced the 
moft dreadful effeCls ; killing fliepherds and flocks on 
the mountains ; blafting trees, and fetting fire to 
lioufes; wherever it m^t with them on an elevated 

fituation* 



SICILY AND MALTA* 133 

iituation. Now probably the flying of a kite, with a 
wire round its firing, would foon have difarmed this, 
formidable cloud. Thefe effeds, however, only 
happen when the air is dry and little agitated, but 
when it is full of moifl: vapour, the great rarefadioa 
from the heat of the lava generally brings it down in 
violent torrents of rain, which foon convey the elec- 
trical matter from the clouds to the earth, and re- 
ftores the equilibrium. 

As Recupero, who is a facetious and an agreeable 
companion, was kind enough to fit a good deal with 
me during my confinement, I have gathered many 
remarks from his converfation, that may perhaps be 
worthy of your attention. 

The variety of waters about -^tna, he tells me, is 
furprifing. I have already mentioned the Fiume 
Freddo, or the river of Acis : Recupero confirms 
what I had been told of it. There is a lake on the 
north of the mountain, of about thr^e miles in cir- 
cumference, v/hich receives feveral confiderabie 
rivers ; yet, although there is no apparent outletj 
it never overflows its banks. I fuggefled the pro- 
bability of a fubterraneous communication betwixt 
this and the Fiume Freddo. He faid there was no 
refemblance in the quality of their waters ; however^ 
I think it is probable, that in a courfe of fo many 
miles, through the caverns of iEtna, full of fairs and 
minerals, it may acquire both its cold and its vitriolic- 
qualities. 

There is another lake on the top of a mountain to 
the well of ^tna, the bottom of which could never 
be found. It is obferved never either to rife or fall, 
but always to preferve the fame level. It is un- 

K 3 doubtedly 



^34 



A TOUR THROUGH 



doubtedly the crater of that mountain (which is all of 
burnt matter) converted into a lake. The river 
which fapplies the baths of Catania is of a very dif- 
ferent nature : It never continues the fame, but is 
perpetually changing. Its current is for the mod 
part confined under ground by the lavas ; but fome- 
times it burfts out v/ith fuch violence that the city haj? 
furTered greatly from it ; and what is ftill more un- 
fortuoate, thefe' eruptions are generally folio v/ed by 
fome epidemical diftempen It has now been con- 
jftantiy diminiihing for thefe two years pad, and is at 
prefent almoil reduced to nothing. They are in 
perpetual dread of its breaking out, and laying wafte 
their fields, as it has fo often done before. What is 
fingular, it generally burlls out after a long tract of 
the dryefl and warmefl: weather. The ^rnean aca- 
demy have never been able to account for this cir- 
cumftance. I think it is moft probable that it arifes 
from the melting of the fnow on iEtna, but I fhall 
not pretend to fay how.— Thefe, perhaps, overfilling 
the caverns that ufually receive their water, the fur- 
plus is carried off into this riven 

The river of Alcantara certainly takes its rife from 
the melring of thefe fnows. Its waters, I obferved, 
are of the fame whitifh colour as all the rivers are 
that run from the Glacieres amongft the Alps. There 
are feveral periodical fprings on ^tna, that flow 
only during the day, and flop during the night. 
Thefe are naturally and eafily accounted for from the 
melting of the fnow ; for it melts only during th^ 
day, being hard frozen every night, even in the 
hotted feafon. There are likewife a variety of poif::>nous > 
fpringSj fome^of fo deadly a quality, that birds and 

beads 



SICILY AND MALTA. I35 

Ibeafls have been found lying dead on their banks, 
from having drunk of their water. But (what is per* 
haps flill more fmgular) Recupero told me, that 
about twenty years ago, a rent opened in the moun- 
tain, that for a confiderable time fent forth fo. me- 
phitic a vapour, that, like the lake Avernus, birds 
were fuffocated in flying over it. 

There are many caverns where the air is fo ex- 
tremely cold, that it is impoffible to fupport it for 
any time. Thefe the peafants make ufe of as refer- 
voirs for the fnow ; and indeed they make the finefl 
ice-houfes in the world, preferving it hard frozen 
during the hotted fummers. It would be endlefs to 
give an account of all the caverns, and other curious 
appearances about iEtna. Kircher fpeaks of a cave 
which he faw, capable, he fays, of containing 30,000 
men. Here, he adds, numbers of people have been 
lofl from their temerity in going too far. One of 
thefe caverns ftill retains the name of Proferpine, from 
its being fuppofed by the ancients, the pafHige by 
which Pluto conveyed her into his dominions ; on 
this occafion Ovid defcribes Ceres, as fearching for 
her daughter, with two trees which (he had plucked 
from the mountain, and lighted by way of torches* 
Thefe he calls Teda, which is flill the name of a tree 
I have feen no where but on mount ^tna. It pro- 
duces a great quantity of rofm, and was furely the 
mod proper tree Ceres could have pitched upon for 
her purpofe. This rofiii is called Catalana^ and is 
efleemed a cure for fores. 

I have mentioned the great variety of flowers, trees, 
&c. on mount ^tna. I have found a long lift of 
them in Maflfa ; but as I am not acquainted with their 

K 4 SiciliarA 



1X6 A TOUR THROUGH 

Sicilian names, I can make little out of it. I have 
engaged a perfon here to procure me a colledion of 
their feeds in the feafon. I find of the number, the 
cinnamon 3 farfaparilla, faffafras, rhubarb, and many 
others that I thought had not been natives of Europe. 
The Palma Chrifti too^ that plant fo much celebrated 
of late, from the feed of which the caflor oil is made, 
grows both here and in many other places of Sicily, 
in the greateft abundance. Our botanids have called 
it Ricinus Americanus, fuppofmg it only to be pro- 
duced in that part of the world. A Bath phyfician, 
I remember, has lately written a treatife on this plant, 
and the virtues of the oil extraded from its feed, 
which he makes a fort of Catholicon. You may be- 
lieve we fhall not leave Sicily without providing our- 
felves with a quantity of this precious feed. 

Mount ^tna, 1 find, is as much celebrated by the 
ancients as the moderns, for the variety of its odori^ 
ferous productions^ Plutarch fays, their fmell was 
fo ilrong, that on many places of the mountain it 
was impofiibie to hunt. 1 fliall tranfcribe the paflage 
as it is before me in an old tranilation I have bor- 
rov/ed : ^' Circum ^tnam in Sicilia neminem ferunt 
" cum canibus venatum iri ; quia enim multos per- 

petuo illic ut in viridario prata, collefque flores 
" mittunt a fragrantia, qu^e earn oram occupat, 

obfufcare ferarum anhelationes, &c." Ariflotle 
has likewife a pafTage to the very fame purpofe ; but 
this may faffice. 

There were formerly a variety of wild beads in the 
woor'y regions of j^tna ; but notwitnilanding this 
advantage they had over the dogs and hunters, the 
iiumbtr of thefe is now greatly reduced.— They have 



SICILY AND MALTA. I37 

ftHl however the wild boar, the roebuck, and a kind 
of wild goat ; but the race of flags, which was much 
celebrated, as well as that of bears, is thought to be 
extind. Several places of tiie niountaia are ftili 
named from thofe animals* 

The horfes and cattle of mount Mtm were 
efteemed the bell in Sicily. The cattle are ftill of a 
large fize, and have horns of fuch a length, that they 
are preferved as curiofities in fome mufeums. The 
horfes, I am afraid, have degenerated. 

There are faid to be quantities of porcupines and 
land torioiLs on fome parts of ^tna ; but we had 
not the good fortune to meet with any of them» 
Neither did we fee any eagles or vultures, which are 
likewife faid to be inhabitants of this mountain. 

The accounts given of mount ^tna by the old 
Sicilian authors, (feveral of whom I have borrowed 
from Recuperc) are very various. Some of them 
defcribe the hollow of the crater as being feven ur 
eight miles in circumference, fome make it five, and 
others only three : And probably all of them are 
right ; for I find, by all their accounts, that gene- 
rally once in about loo years the whole crater has 
fallen down into the bowels of ihe mountain : That 
in proc fs of time, a new crater is feen peeping out 
of the gulph ; which, perpetually increafmg by the 
matter thrown up, is by degrees raifed again to its 
ancient height, till at laft becoming too heavy for its 
hollow foundations, it again gives way, and at once 
fmks down into the mountain. This happened about 
100 years ago, in the year 1669, recorded by 
' Borelli, whofe account of it I have before me, 

Univerfum cacumen, quod ad inftar fpeculse, feu 

turrisj 



t^B A TOUR THROUGH 

turns, ad ingentem altitudinem elevabatur, quod 
una cum valla planitie arenofa deprelTa, atque ab« 
forpta eft in profundam voraginem/' &c.-The fame 
likewife happened in the year 1536, as recorded by 
Fazello and Filoteo, and in the years 1444, 1329, and 
1 1 57. Of all thefe I have read an account ; but proba- 
ble betwixt the two laft mentioned, there has been ano^ 
ther that is not recorded, as the intervals betwixt all 
the reft are pretty nearly equal. 

Some of them give a dreadful account of it. Fol- 
cando, one of their hiftorians, tells us, it fiiook the 
whole ifland, and refounded through all its fhoreso 
And their poet Errico fays, on the fame occafion^ 

** S'oJe tl fuo gran miiglio 
Per mlhe p'tagge e I'ldi" 
*' The bellowing dire a thoufand lands refound, 
*' Whole trenjbisng Oiores return the dreadlai found.'* 

In all probability, this event will very foon happen^ 
as the circumference of the crater is no where re^ 
corded to have been reduced to lefs than three miles ; 
and Recupero fays, it is at prcfent only three miles 
and a half ; befides, 1 00 years, the common period, 
has now elapfed fmce its laft fall. 

There are many ftories of people perilLing by their 
temerity, in being too curious fpe6lators of the erup- 
tions of this mountain 5 but there are ftill many more, 
of thofe that have been miraculoufly faved by the in- 
terpofition of lome faint or the Virgin, who are fup- 
pofed to be in a perpetual ftate of warfare with the 
devils in mount iEtna. That part of the ifland where 
:^tna ftands, has ever been named // V^I Demoni, 
from the frequent apparitions of thefe devils. It 
makes one third of the ifland. The other two are 
named the Val dl Noto^ and the Vai di Mazzara. 

There 



SICILY AND MALTA» 



^35 



There is one ftory, though a very oid one, that is 
ftill related at Catania ; it is taken notice of by 
Seneca, Ariflotle, Strabo, and others. In the time of 
a great eruption, when the lire was pouring down 
upon the city, and ev^ry one was carrying oft his 
mofl valuable efFidls ; two rich brothers, named 
Anfinomus and Anafms^ negleding all their wealth, 
elcaped from the conflagration with their aged parents 
qn their backs. Thefe autnors add, that the fire, re- 
fpeding fuch filial piety, [pared them, wliilR many 
others that took the fam^ road were confumed. 

This action has been wonderfully extolled, and 
proves, 1 think, that feats of tiiis kind were by no 
means common in thofe days. — Now, p^ ay, don't you 
think, in the world at prefent. bad as it is fuppofed to 
be, there are lew fons, who would not have aded in 
the fame manner ? and fure I am, the reft of mankind 
woula not have made fuch a fufs about it. Humanity 
and natural affection, I believe, in thofe ages we are 
inclined to extol fo much, were not by many degrees 
fo powerful as they are at prefent. —Even the pious 
^neas himfelf, one of the mofl renowned of all their 
heroes, was in effect but a favage, notwithftanding all 
that Virgil fays to perfuade us of the contrary; for 
you find him facrificing his weak and captive enemies, 
at the fame time that he is canting and preaching up 
piety and juftice. 

Thefe two brothers were fo celebrated for this 
adion, that there was a difpute betwixt Syracufe and 
Catania, which of thefe cities had given them birth ; 
and tenphs were eredted in both of them, dedicated 
^o Filial Piety, in memory of the event. 

In 



140 



A TOUR THROUGH 



In the accounts of the more recent dellrudions of 
Catania, there occurs no inftance of this fort. — ^We 
find them only lamenting the lofs of priefts and nuiis, 
and very much out of humour at their faints, for 
allowing the devils to get the better of theai. I have 
been a good deal entertained with fome of thofe 
authors.-— Seivaggio, one of their poets, fpeaking of 
the terrible earthquake in the year 1 169, that deftroy- 
ed Catania, and buried multitudes of people in the 
ruins, defcribes it in the following manner, which 
may ferve as a fpecimen of the poetry of that time. 

** Cataneam doleo, dolor eft miferabiJe dida : 

Glara potens antiqua fuit ; piebe, milite, ciero, 

Divitiis, auro, fpecie, vlrtute, triamphis. 

Heu terrae motu ruit i!Ia potentla reriim 1 

Morte ruit javenis, moritur vir, fponfa, maritus. 

Unde fuperbit homo ? Dens una dirult hora 

Turres, ornatus, vedes, cundcfque paratiis. 

In taTito gemitu pcrlit pars maxima gentis, 

Proh dolor ! et monaclii quadraginta quatuor et plus i 

Et periit paftor patri;^, pater ipfe Johannes 

Pontificalis honor, lux regni fic perieri." 

But another, Guftanavilla, one of their hiHorians^ 
gives a very different account of this affair ; as it is 
likewife fomewhat curious in its way, I fhall copy it 
for your amufement ; " In omnem terram, et in fines 
orbis terrse jam exiit plaga ilia, qua nuper in Sicilia 
percuili funt Catanenfes in vigilia B. Agathse ; cum 
epifcopus ille damnatiffimus, qui, ficut fcitis, fibi 
'^^ fumpfit honorem, non vocatus a Domino, tanquam 
Aaron, et qui ad fedem illam, non eledione cano- 
nica, fed Giezitica venalitate intravit ; cum, in- 
quam, abominationis ofFerret incenfum, intonuit de 
coelo Dominus, et ecce terrae motus fadus eft mag- 

" nus; 



SICILY x\ND MALfA, 



141 



nus ; angelus enim Domini percutiens epifcopum 

in furore Domini cum populo, et univerfa civitate 
" fubvertit." 

He adds, that if St Agatha's veil had not been pro- 
duced, the angel of the Lord was in fuch a fury, that 
he would not have left one foul alive. 

There is a curious painting of the great erup- 
tion 1 669, in the cathedral of this place. It is but in- 
differently painted, but gives a dreadful idea of that 
event. Borrelli, who was upon the fpot, defcribes it. 
' — He fays, on the i ith of March, fometime before 
the lava burfl out, after violent earthquakes and 
dreadful fubterraneous bellowing, a rent was opened 
in the mountain tv^elve miles long ; in fome places of 
which, when they threw down ftones, they could not 
hear them flrike the bottom. He fays, that burning 
rocks, fixty palms in length, were thrown to the dif- 
tance of a mile ; and that the giants, fuppofed to be 
buried under mount ^tna, feemed to have renewed 
their war againft heaven : That ftones of a leffer fize 
were carried upwards of three miles ; and that the 
thunder and lightning from the fnioke, was fcarce 
lefs terrible than the noife of the mountain. He adds, 
that after the moll violent ftruggles and fhaking of 
the whole ifland, when the lava at last burll through, it 
fprung up into the air to the height of fixty palms. — ^ 
In fliort, he defcribes that event, as well as the uni- 
verfal terror and confternation it occafioned, in terms 
full of horror, —For many v/eeks the fun did not ap. 
pear, and the day feemed to be changed into night. — • 
Soon after the lava got vent, which was not till four 
months from the time that the mountain bes:an to la- 
5 hour, 



A TOUR THROUGH 



bour, all thefe dreadful fymptoms abated, and it was 
foon after perfedly quiet. 

He fays, this deluge of fire, after deflroying the 
finefi: country in Sicily, and fv^.eeping away churches. 
Tillages, and convents, broke over the lofty walls of 
Catania, and Covered up five of its bailions with the 
intervening curtains. From thence pouring down on 
the city, it deflroyed every object it met with, over- 
whelming and burying all in one promifciious ruin. 

What he regrets moft, was fome precious remains 
of antiquity ; the names, the fituation, and even the 
memory of whofe exiftence, is now loft in the place* 
He mentions an amphitheatre, which he calls Col- 
lifeo^ the Circus Maxlmm^ the Naurnachia^ and fevera! 
temples. 

An account of this great eruption was fent to 
Charles 11. by Lord Winchelfea, who was then return- 
ing from his embalTy at Conftantinople, and flopped 
here on purpofe to fee fo remarkable an event. But 
his lordfhip has not been at that pains to examine it 
we could have wiflied. His curiofity was fatisfied in 
one day ; and he feems to have been contented only 
to look at the lava at a great diftance ; but did not 
think of examining its fource, of afcending the moun« 
tain, although at that time all the moft formidable 
circumftances of the eruption were already oven 

I fhould not finifh this account of mount iEtnaj, 
without faying fomething of the various fables and al- 
legories to which it has given rife ; but it would pro- 
bably lead me into too vaft a field, and give this more 
the air of a differtation than a letter or a journal'. 
Thefe you will eafily recolle6l. They have afforded 
ample employment for the mufcj in all ages, and rn aH 

languages } 



SICILY AND MALTA. - 143 

languages ; and indeed the philofopher and natural 
hiftorian have found, in the real properties of this 
mountain, as ample a fund of fpeculation, as the 
poets have done in the fiditious.— It is fo often 
mentioned by the ancient writers, that it has been faid 
of iEtna as well as of Greece 

** Nullum eft fine nomine flixum." 

Indeed, I am afririd this faying was much more ap- 
plicable to it formerly than it is at prefent ; for we 
even found feveral large mountains that had no 
name ; and it does not at all appear, that the num- 
ber of phiiofophers in Sicily have by any means in- 
creafed in the later ages. Their ambition is now 
changed ; and if .they can get a fai-nt to keep the 
devils of iEtna in order, they trouble themfelves very 
little about the caufe of its operations ; and do not 
value their iiland half fo much for having given birth 
to Archimedes or Empedocies, as to St. Agatha and 
St. Rofolia. 

The ancients, as well as the moderns, feem ever 
to have confidered iEtna as one of the highefi: moun- 
tains on the globe. There are many palTages in their 
authors that fhew this \ though, perhaps, none more 
ftrongly than their making Deucalion and Pyrrha 
take refuge on the top of it, to fave themfelves- from^ 
the univerfal deluge *, 



* Cataclvfmus, quod nos diluviam dicimus, cum fadtus eft, 
omne genus humanum interiit prsecer Deucalionem et Pyr- 
rham, qui in montem j$lrnam qui akiflliTius in Siciiia efTe cii- 
citur fugerunt, 5lc- Kiginus. 

I ftall , 



144 



A TOtJR THROUGH 



I (halt now conclude this long account of mount 
JEtna with VirgiPs celebrated deicription of it in the 
third ^neid^ which has been fo much admired. You 
may compare it with the following defcription of the 
famous poet Raitano, held, I affure you, in full as 
high eftiniation by the Sicilians. 

Ncl mezzo verfo I'ethere avviccina 
JE:na la fronte fua cinta di orrori, 
E con ifpavantevoie rovina 
Rimbomba, e con orribili ffagori. 
Sovente negri nubi al c'ld deftina 
Fumanti di atro turbine* e di ardori, 
Ergi globbi di fiamma, e fu lambifce 
Le ftellc omai con infuocate ftrifcle; 
Scogli, e diveke vifcere di monte 
Emittaiido tal volta avido eftolle ; 
E con geniiti vomita, e con onre 
Eiquifatti macigni, e in fondo boHe.*' 

So fings the Sicilian mufe yoti will tiot hoV/ever 
hefitate to give the preference to the Roman one, 
although the former is evidently ftolen from her. 

V« Florrii&cis joxta tonat iEtna minis, 

\ Interdumqtie atram prorumpit ad rerhera nubem, 

Turbine fumantem piceo et candente favilia, 
Attollitqiie globos fl.nnmarum, et fidera lannibit. 
Interdun^;qae fcnpu'os, avolfaque vifcer.-i montis 
Errgit enictans, liquef;;<flaque faxa fnb auras 
Cum gemita glomerat, fundoque exaeftuat imo." 

But both thefe have been greatly out-done by the 
"wonderful imagination of our great countryman Sir 
Richard Blackmore ; who accounts at once for the 
whole phsenomena of JEtna, by the fimple idea of 
givii^ the mountain a fit of the colic : A thought 

that 



SICILY AND MALTA, l4f 

that had efcaped all the poets and philofophers of 
antiquity, and feems for ever to have been referved 
for the profound genius of this great mailer and fa* 
ther of the Bathos* ~ I have forgot the pafTage ; but 
you will find itj I think^ in Frince Arthur. 

The philofophical poet, Lucretius, has likewife 
mentioned the eruptions of mount -^tna ; but Pindar 
is the oldeft poet we know of, that has taken any 
notice of them. His defcription is, I think, the mod 
fatisfadory of all, and conveys a clearer idea both of 
the mountain itfelf, and an eruption of the mountain^ 
than either the Roman or Sicilian poet, though it is 
not near fo much laboured, nor worked up with fell 
that variety of circumftances, they have found means 
to introduce. Its greateft fault is, that Pindar had 
ftill kept in view that abfurd idea of the ancients, 
that Jupiter had buried the giants under mount 
JEtna ; and that their ftruggling to get loofe, was the 
caufe of its eruptions i But even this he touches but 
liightly, as if afhamed to give fuch a reafon. The 
palTage is tranflated into Englifh by Mr. Weft. 

** Now under fmoking Guma^s fulphVous cOiift 

And vaft Siollia, lies his torturM breaft, 

B5'. fnowy -^tna, nurfe of endlefs frofl, 

The mighty prop of heaven for ever preflj 

Forth from whofe flaming caverns illuing rife 

Tremendous fountains of pure liquid fire^ 

Which veil in ruddy mifts the noon-day fkies, 

While wrapt in fmoke the eddying flames afpire ; 

Ot gleaming thro' the night with hideous roar, 

Far o'er the red*ning mz'm huge rocky fragments pour.'* 

This paflage decides w^hat has been much difputed^ 
that iEtna was, in thefe early ages, of as great an 
elevadon as at prefent. It has been alleged, that 

L volcanos 



14« 



A Tour rHuducH 



volcanos atways increafe in height till they are estiH- 
guifhed, when they are fuppafed to moulder down, 
and by degrees fink into the caverns that are below 
them, like the aftrnni, and the folfaterra at Naples : 
However we find that ^tna was at that time as nowy 
covered with eternal fnows, and was fuppofed, like 
Atlas, to be one of the great props of heaven. But 
what pleafes me the moft in this defcription is, that 
it proves beyond the poflibility of a doubt, that in 
thefe very remote eruptions, it was common for the 

lavas of -^Itna to run a great way out to fea The 

conclufion, I think, is fully as juft, and perhaps not 
iefs fublime, than the " avolfaque vifcera montis erigit 
erudans'* of Virgil, which, I muft own, I think 
rather comes too near Sir Richard's fit of the 
colic. 

Thucydides fpeaks of three eruptions of this moun- 
tain ; but is not fo particular as we could have wifhed* 
He does not mention the date of the firft ; but fays^ 
it was the earlieft after the arrival of the Greeks in 
Sicily. The feeond happened about the time of the 
77th Olympiad, and the lafl in that of the 88th, 
which was> nearly about the period when Pindar 
wrote ; fb that we cannot doubt that his defcription 
lis taken from the accounts he had heard of fome 
of tbofe eruptions, the circumftance& of which, no 
doubt, at that time, had afforded matter of conver- 
fation all over Greece, 

I think we may now try to take leave of Mtm^ 
though I am afraid, during the remainder of our ex- 
pedition, we ^all meet with nothing worthy to fuc- 

ceed it. ^We fiiall fait from hence to-mprrow, 

merning j and expeSt to fleep at Syl^itfe, as it isi 

only 



MCILV and MALTA. 147 

only abdiit fifty miles diftant. I fhsll write to you 
again from the ruins of that celebrated city. Fare- 
well. 

Ever yours* 



LETTER XIL 

Syracufe, June ift. 

^ N the 31ft of May we embarked oil board a 
feluccaji and fet fail for the mighty Syracufe.— 
The wind was favourable^ and for fome time we went 
at a great rate. The view of mount iEtna, for the 
whole of this httle voyage, is wonderfully fine, and 
the bold black coaft formed, for near thirty miles, of 
the lava of that immenfe volcano, gives the moft 
awful idea of it eruptions. There is no part of this 
coaft nearer than thirty miles to its fummit ; and yet 
there has hardly been any great eruption, where the 
lava has not reached the fea, and driven back its 
waters to a great diftance, leaving high rocks and 
promontories, that for ever fet its waves at defiance, 
and prefcribe their utmoft limits. What a tremen- 
dous fcene muft the meeting betwixt thefe adverfe 
elements have formed ? 

We may eafily conceive the variety of changes 
this coaft has undergone in the fpace of fome thou- 
fands of years, as every great eruption muft have 
made a confiderable difference. — Virgil is wonder# 
fully minute and exa6t in his geography of Sicily j 
and this is the only part of the illand that feems to 

L 2 be 



A TOUR THROUGH 



be materially altered fmce his time. He fays there^ 
was a very large port at the foot of ^tna, where 
ftip$ were fecure from every wind ; 

^* Portus ab acce/Tu ventorum immotus et ingens) 

of which, at prefent, there are not the leaft remains,. 
It is probably the fame that was called by the Sici- 
lians the port of UlyfTes; which is often mentioned 
by their writers.-^The place of its exiftence is ftiii 
fhewn betwixt three and four miles up the country, 
amongft the lavas of Mtnz. However, 1 can fee no 
fort of reafon why they have called this the port of 
UlyfTes : For furely Homer does not bring his hero 
near the precinds of mount -^tna. Indeed I think 
it is evident, that this volcano did not burn during 
the time of Horner^ nor for fome ages preceding it, 
otherwife it is not poffible, that he would have faid 
fo much of Sicily, without taking any notice of fo 
great and capital an objed, which, of all others, the 
daring and fublime imagination of Homer would have 
been the mofl eager to grafp at. — It is evident, from 
his account, that Ulyffes landed at the weft end 
of Sicily, oppofite to the ifland of Lachaea, now 
Favignana, almoil two hundred miles diitant from 
this port, ^ 

Virgil, v.^ith more judgment, lands his hero at the 
foot of ^tna, which gives him an opportunity of 
introducing fome of the fineft defcription in the 
JEneid. But it is fomewhat odd, that here he makes 
^neas find one of UlylTes's companions, v^^io had 
efcaped the rage of Polyphemus, and had lived for 
feveral months in the woods and caverns of this 
mountain.—- Virgil mull have been aware of this im^ 

propriety. 



SICILY AND MALTA. I49 

propriety, as he well knew that Homer had landed 
Ulyfles, and placed the cave of Polyphemus at the 
moft diftant point of the ifland. But he could not 
prevail on hinifelf to pafs mount ^tna. He was fo 
thoroughly convinced, that this was the moil proper 
landing-place for an epic hero, as well as the mod 
proper habitation for the Cyclops, that, by a bold 
poetical licence, he has fairly taken it for granted, 
that Homer really made it fo. Indeed, in this paf- 
fage, the pleafure he affords to the imagination of his 
reader, makes an ample amends for his having impoled 
on his judgment. But to return to our voyage. 

The view of the mountain from the fea is more 
complete and fatisfadory than any where on the 
ifland. The eye takes in a greater portion of the 
circle, and you obferve, with more diflindlnefs, how 
it rifes equally on all fides, from its immenfe bafe, 
overfpread with the beautiful little mountains I have 
mentioned ; and at once can trace the progrefs of 
vegetation from its utmoft luxuriance, to where it is 
checked by the two extremes of heat and of cold. — 
The different regions of the mountain are diflindly 
marked out, by their different colours, and different 
productions ; expofmg at once to the raviflied eye 
every climate, and every feafon, with all their variety 

Where blofTomSj fruits, and flowers together rife, 
** And the whole year In gay confufion lies." 

The firfl: region exhibits every object that charac- 
terifes fummer and autumn ; the fecond, thofe of the 
moil delightful fpring; the third, an eternal and 
unrelenting winter ; and the fourth, to complete the 
contrail, the regions of unextinguifhable fire. 

L 3 The 



150 ^ TOUR THROUGH 

The circuinferejice of the great bafe of JEtnz^ 
Recupero told tne» he had been at a good deal of 
pains to afcertain ; as it had generally been computed 
only ai hundred miles, or little more, although 
the radii of that circle had ever been elleemed at 
thirty of thofe miles; an abfurdity in aomputation 
that had put him upon makirig this inquiry. The 
refult was, that taking the fuppofed diflances of one 
place from another, all the way round, the fum of 
the whole aii:ounted to one hundred and eighty^hree 
miles : an immenfe circl furely, and which is ftill en- 
larged by every confiderable eruption. The whole 
of this circle is formed of lava and burnt matter $ 
and I have obferyed, that near the very outermoft 
borders of it, there have been many Jittle eruption^ 
that have pierced through fome of the thickeft lavgis 
of iEtna, Thefe fmall eruptions, at fo vaft a dif« 
tance from the great furnace of the moyntain, are 
probably oc^afioned by the intenfe heat of the lava,^ 
which continues for many years rarifying the air, in 
the caverns it has run over, which burfting forth 
from its prifon, the lava fmks down^ and kindling 
the fulphur and nitre with which thefe caverns are 
filled, exhibits in miniature the phenomena of 21, 
gre?it ei^uption. 

There is a lai'ge fandy beach that extends from the 
mouth of the river Simetus, a great way to the fouth 
of Catania, and was probably continued the whole 
way to the foot of the mountain of Taurominum^ 
(where there ai'e ftill fome remains of the eaft end 
of it) till it was broken in upon, many thoufand 
years ago, by the lavas of JEtna ; which, from a 
flfit fandy fhore, have now converted it into a. highg 



«IiClLY AND MALTA. 



bold, black, iron coaft. What is a ftrong proof of 
this in many places where they have funk deep 
wells ; after piercing through the lava, they have at 
laft come to beds of fhells and fea-fand. 

There is nothing elfe very interefting in the voyage 
from Catania, to Syracufe. If you will read the con- 
clufion of the third book of the -^neid, you will find 
a much better defcription of it than any I can give 
you. The coaO: lies low, and, except iEtna, there 
are no very ft r iking objeds. 

We pafTed the mouths of feveral rivers : The firfl: 
and moft confiderable is the Giarretta, or river of St. 
Paul, formerly the Simetus ; and under that name 
celebrated by the poets. The nymph Thalia, after 
her amour with Jupiter, is fuppofed to have been 
changed into this ftream : and, to avoid the refent- 
ment of Juno, funk under ground near mount JEtna, 
and continued her fubterraneous courfe to the fea. 
This river was navigable in the time of the Romans, 
and, MafTa fays, the only one in the ifland that was 
fo. — It takes its rife on the north fide of ^tna, and 
furrounding the weft Ikirts of the mountain, falls into 
the fea near the ruins of the Ancient Morgantio. It 
no longer fmks under ground as it did formerly ; 
but it is now celebrated for a quality it does not ap- 
pear to have polfelTed in the times of antiquity, as 
none of the old writers take notice of it. It throws 
up near its mouth great quantities of fine amber: 
This is carefully gathered by the peafants in the 
neighbourhood, and brought to Catania, where it is 
manufadured into the form of crolTes, beads, faints, 
&c. and is fold at high prices to the fuperftitious 
people on the continent. We bought feveral of thefe 

L 4 refpedable 



.15^ A TOUR. THROUGH \ 

refpeftable figures, and found them eleclrlcal in a 
high degree; powerfully attrading feathers, ftraws, 
^and other light bodies; fomewhat emblematical, you 
will lay, of what they reprefent. — -Some pieces of 
this amber contain flies and other infers curioufly 
preferved in its fubflance ; and we were not a little 
entertained with the ingenuity of one of the artife, 
who has left a large bluc-bottle-fly, with its wings 
expanded, exadly over the head of a faint, to repre- 
fent, he told us^ lo fplrito fanto defcending upon him. 
J have got ft)me fine pieces of this amber, more 
eledric, I think, and emitting a (Ironger fmell, than 
that which comes from the Baltic. The generation 
of this fubdance has long been a controverted point 
amongfl naturahQs; nor do I behove it is as yet 
afcertained, whether it is a fea or a land produdion. 
It is generally fuppofed to be a kind of gum or bitu- 
men, that iffues from the earth in a liquid ftate, at 
which time the flies and other infeds that light 
upon it are caught, and by their ftruggles to get 
loofe, foon work themfelves into its fubflance, which 
hardening round them, they are for ever preferved 
in the greatefl: perfedion. Large fine pieces are con^ 
flantly found at the mouth of the Simetus, fuppofed 
to have been brought down by the river ; but it is 
fmgular, that none of it is ever found any where but 
on the fea-fhore ; lliey have likewife here a kind of 
artificial amber, made, I am told, from copal ; but 
it is v^ry different from the natural* 

Not far from the mouth of this river there are two 
pf the largeft lakes in Sicily ; the Beviere, and the 
pantana ; the firPc of which is fuppofed to have been 
made by Hercules ; in confequence of which it wasf 

held 



SICILY AND MALTA. 153 

held facred by the ancients. They are full of a va* 
riety of fiili ; one fpecies of which, called Molletti, 
is much efteemed: the faking and exportation of 
thefe makes a confiderable branch of commerce at 
Leontini, which is in that neighbourhood : that city 
is one of the moft ancient in the ifland, and is fup- 
pofed to have been the habitation of the Leflrigons. 

The Leontine fields have been much famed for their 
fertility : Both Diodorus and Pliny affert that they 
yielded w^ieat an hundred-fold, and that grain grew 
Ipontaneouny here without culture: But this was 
only during the reign of Ceres, and is not now the 
cafe. 

In a few hours falling we came in fight of the city 
of Augufta, which is beautifullv fituated in a fmall 
ifland that was formerly a peninfula : It w^as therefore 
called by the Greeks Cherfonefus. Both the city 
and fortifications feem confiderable, and are faid to 
contain about 9000 inhabitants. The ruins of the 
Little Hybla, fo celebrated for its honey, lie within 
a few miles of this place. 

Some time before our arrival at Syracufe, it fell a 
dead calm, and w^e fpied a fine turtle fall afleep on 
the furface of the water. Our pilot ordered a pro- 
found filence, and only two oars to row very gently, 
that if poffible w^e might furprife him. — Every thing 
was put in order, and two men were placed ready 
at the prow^ to fecure the prize. — We were all 
attention and expedation, and durft hardly breathe 
for fear of difturbing him. 

We moved flowly on, and the turtle lay ftone-ftill ; 
the two men bent down their bodies, and had their 
arms already in the water to feize him. — No aTder« 

manj 



154 A TOUR THROUGH 

raan. With all deference be it fpoken, ever belief hi^ 
turtle upon the table with more pleafure and fecurity ; 
nor feafted his imagination more lufcioufiy upon the 
/ banquet. — He was already our ov/n in idea, and we 
were only thinking of the various ways in which he 
fhouid be dreffed : — When— how vain and tranfitory 
all human poffeffions! the turtle made a plunge, 
flipped through their fingers, and difappeared in a 
moment, and with him all our hopes. — We looked 
very fooliih at each other, without uttering a word^ 
till Fullarton afked me, in the moft provoking man- 
ner in the world, whether I would chufe a little of 
the caliipafh or the callipee. — The two men fhrugged 
up their fhoulders, and faid Pazienza ; but Glover 
told them in a rage, that all the pazienza on earth 
was not equal to a good turtle. 

Soon after this, the remains of the great Syracufe 
appeared ; the remembrance of whofe glory, magni* 
ficence, and iiluftrious deeds both in arts and arms, 
made us for fome time even forget our turtle. But, 
alas 1 how are the mighty fallen ! This proud city, 
that vied with Rome itfelf, is now reduced to a heap 
of rubbifh ; for what remains of it deferves not the 
name of a city. We rowed round the greateft part 
of its walls without feeing a human creature ; thofe 
very walls that were the terror of the Roman arms ; 
from whence Archimedes battered their fleets, and 
with his: engines lifted their veflels out of the fea, and 
dalhed them againd the rocks. We found the in- 
terior part of the city agreed but too well with it$ 
external appearance. There was not an inn to be 
found ; and after vifiting all the monalleries apd re^ 
ligious fraternities in fearch of bed^j we found the 
5 whote 



SICILY AND MALTA. 



iss 



w!io!e of them fo wretchedly mean and dirty, that we 
preferred at laft to fleep on llraw ; but even that we 
could not have clean, but are eat up with vermin of 
every kind. 

We had letters for the Count Ga.f tano, who made 
an apology that he could not lodge us, but in other 
refpedls (hewed us many civilities ; particularly in 
giving us the ufe of his carriage, in explaining the 
ruins, in pointing out every thjng that was worthy of 
our attention ; and likewife in giving us letters of re- 
commendation for Malta. He is a gentleman of good 
fenfe, and has written feveral treatifes on the antiquities 
of Sicily, 

Of the four cities that compofed the ancient Syra- 
cufe, there remains only Ortigia, by much the fmalU. 
eft, fituated in the ifland of that name. It is about two 
miles round, and fuppofed to contain about 14000 in- 
habitants. The ruins of the other three, Tycha, Acra-. 
dina, and Neapoli, are computed at twenty- two miles 
circumference, but almoft the whole of this fpace 
is now converted into rich vineyards, orchards, and 
corn-fields ; the walls of thefe are indeed every where 
built with broken marbles full of engravings and in- 
fcriptions, but moft of them defaced and fpoiled. The 
principal remains of antiquity are a theatre and am- 
phitheatre ; many fepulchres, the Latomie, the Cata- 
combs, and the famous ear of Dionyfms, which it 
was impoffible to deftroy. — The Latomie now makes 
a noble fubterraneous garden, and is indeed one of 
the moft beautiful and romantic fpots I ever beheldo 
Moft of it is about one hundred feet below the level 
of the earth, and of an incredible extent. The whole 
is hewn out of a rock as hard as marble, compofed of 

a con* 



t$5 A"^ TOUR THROUGH 

a concretion of fhells, gravely and other marine bodies* 
The bottom of this imnienfe quarry, from whence pro-» 
bably the greateft part of Syracufe was built, is now 
covered with an exceeding rich foil ; and as no wind 
from any point of the corapafs can touch it, it is filled 
with a ejreat variety of the fined fhrubs and fruit-trees, 
which bear with vaft luxuri mce, and are never blaftedo 
The oranges, citrons, bergamots, pomegranates, figs, 
85c. are all of a remarkable fize and fine quality. 
Some of thefe trees, but more particularly the olives, 
grow out of the hard rock ; where there is no vifible 
foil ; and exhibit a very uncommon and pleafing ap- 
pearance. 

There is a variety of wild and romantic fcenes in 
this curious garden ; in the midft of w^hich we were 
furprifed by the appearance of a "figure under one of 
the caverns, that added greatly to the dignity and fo^ 
lemnity of the place.-— It was that of an aged man, 
with a long flov/ing white beard that reached down 
to his middle. His old wrinkled face and fcanty grey 
locks proni:tnce4 him a member of fome former agQ 
as well as of this. His hands, which were fliook by 
the palfy, held a fort of pilgrim's flaff; and about 
his neck there was a fi:ring of large beads with a cru« 
cifix hc^nging to its end.-r-Had it not been for thefe 
marks of his latter exiftence, I don't know but I fhould 
have aiked him, v/hether, in his youth, he h?id not 
been acquainted with Theocritus and Archimedes, 
and if he did not remember the reign of Dionyfius the 
tyrant. But he faved us the trouble, by telling us he 
was the hermit of the place, and belonged to a con^ 
vent of Capuchins on the rock above ; that he had 
now bid adieu to the upper world, and was determine 

e4 



SICILY AND MALTA. 1 57' 

to fpend the reft of his life in this folitude, ia 
prayer for the wretched mortals that inhabit it. 

This figure, together with the fceiie in which it ap^ 
pears, are indeed admirably well adapted, and refle£t 
a mutual dignity upon each other. We left fome 
money upon the rock: — For the Capuchins, who are 
the greateft beggars on earth, never touch moneys 
but fave their too tender confciences, and prefervs 
their vows unbroken, by the fimple device of lifting 
it with a pair of pincers, and carrying it to market in. 
their fack or cowl. This I have feen more than once. 
— We were much dehghted with the Latomie, and 
left it with regret : It is the very fame that has beea 
fo much celebrated by Cicero about 1 800 years ago : 
Opus eft ingens (fays he) magniiicum regum^ ac 
tyrannorum* Totum ex faxo in mirandam altitudi- 
nem depreifo,'^ &c. A little to the weft of it is fup- 
pofed to have ftood the country-houfe, the fale of 
which you will remember he gives fo lively and plea- 
fant an account of ; by which a goldfmith (I have for- 
got his name) cheated a Roman nobleman in a very- 
ingenious manner. 

The ear of Dionyfius is no lefs a monument of the 
ingenuity and magnificence, than of the cruelty, of 
that tyrant. It is a huge cavern cut out of the hard 
rock, in the form of the human ear. The perpendicu- 
lar height of it is about 80 feet, and the kngtli of 
this enormous ear is not lefs than 250. The cavern 
was faid to be fo contrived, that every found made in 
it, was coUecled and united into one point, as into a 
focus ; this was called the Tympanum ; and exadly 
oppofite to it the tyrant had made a fmali hole, which 
communicated with a little apartment where he ufed 

to 



158 A TOUR TifROUGK 

to conceal nimfelf. He applied his own ear to this 
hole, and is faid to have heard diftindly fevery word 
that was fpoken in the cavern below. This apartment 
was no fooner finilhed, and a proof of it made^ than 
he put to death all the workmen that had been em- 
ployed in it* He then confined all that he fufpeded 
were his enemies ; arid by ovei'-hearing their conver- 
fation, judged of their giiilt, and condemned and ac- 
quitted accordingly. 

As this eharhber of Dionyfius is very high in the 
rockj and now totally inacceflibl^^ we had it not m 
our power to make proof of this curioiis experiment^ 
which our guides told us had been done fome years 
ago by the captain of an Eriglilli fhip* 

The echo in the ear is prodigious ; much fuperior 
to any other cavern I have feen. The holes in the 
rock, to which the prifoners were chained j ftill remain^ 
and even the lead and iron in fevefal of them^ We 
furprifed a poor young porcupine who had come here 
to drink, of whom our guides made lawful prize.— 
Near to this there are caverns of a great extent j where 
they carry on a manufactory of nitre, which is found 
in vaft abundance on the fides of thefe CaVes. 

The amphitheatre is in the form of a very exceii^ 
trie ellipfe, and is much ruiiied 5 but the theatre is 
fo entire, that moft of the gradini or feats ftill re-i 
main. Both thefe ar*e in that part of the city that was 
called Neapoii, or the New City. " Quarta autem 
•* eft urbs (fays Cicero) quae quia poftrema sedificata 
eft, Neapolis nominatur, quaiti ad fummam thea- 
trum eft maximum, &c" However, it is but ^ 
fmall theatre in eomparifon of that of Taurominum. 
We fearched amongft the fepulchres, feveral of 

which 



SiCILY AND MALTA. l|g 

which are very elegant, for that of Archimedes ; but 
could fee nothing refembling it.- — At his own defire 
it was adorned with the figure of a fphere infcribed in 
a cylinder, but had been loft by his ungrateful coun- 
trymen, even before the time that Cicero was qusef* 
tor of Sicily. It is pleafant to obferve, with what 
eagernefs this great man undertakes the fearch of it, 
and w^i:h what exultation he defcribes his triumph 
on the difcovery. " Ego autem cum omnia colluf- 
trarem oculis (eft enim ad portas AgragianaS 
magna frequentia fepulchrorum) animadverti eo- 
lumnellam non multum e dumis emineRtem, in 
qua inerat fph^rss iigura et cylindri. Atque ego 
ftatim Syracufanis (erant autem prlncipes mecum) 
dixi, me illud ipfum arbitrari eSe quod quaererem, 
" Immifli cum falcibus multi purgarunt, et aperue- 
runt locum : quo cum patefacius effet aditus ad 
adverfam bafim acceffimus ; apparebat epigram ma 
exefis pofterioribus partibus verficulorum dimidia- 
tis fere : Ita nobiiiffima GraecicC civitas, quondam 
vero etiam dodiflima, fui civis unius acatiffimi 
monumentum ignoraffet, nifi ab homine Arpinat^ 
« didiciffet, kcJ' 

The Catacombs are a great work ; little inferior 
either to thofe of Rome or Naples, and in the fame 
ftyle. There are many remains of temples. The 
Duke of Montalbano^ who has written on the 
antiquities of Syracufe, reckons near twenty 5 but 
there is hardly any of thefe that are now diftinguifh- 
abk. A few fine columns of that of Jupiter Olympus 
ftill remain ; and the temple of Minerva (now con- 
verted into, the cathedral of the city, and dedicated 
to the Virgin) is almoft entire. They have lately 

built 



iSo A T0T7R THROUGH 

built a new facade to it ; but I am afraid they have 
not improved on the fmiplicity of the antique. It is 
full of broken pediments, and 1 think in a bad ftyle. 

Ortigia, the only remaining part of Syracufe, was 
anciently an iflaiid ; ir is often denominated fuch by 
Virgil, Cicero, and many of the Greek and Latin 
hiftorians. In lat er ages, and probably by the ruins 
of this mighty city, the flrait that feparated it from 
the continent, was filled up ; and it had now been a 
peninfula for many ages; till the prefent king of 
Spain, at a vaft expence, cut through the heck of 
land that joined it to Sicily, and has again reduced it 
to its primitive ftate. 

Here he has raifed a noble fortification, which ap« 
pears to be almoil impregnable. There are four 
ftrong gatesj one within the other, with each a glacis^ 
covered way, fcarp and counterfcarp, and a broad 
deep ditch filled with fea- water, and defended by an 
immenfe number of— ^embrafures but not fo much 
as one fingle piece of artillery. This you will no 
doubt think ridiculous enough, but the ridicule is 
flill heightened, when I alTure you there is not a can- 
non of any kind belonging to this noble fortrefs, but 
one fmall battery of fix pounders for faluting (hips 
that go in and out of the port. If you are at a lofs 
to account for this, you will pleafe remember that 
it is a work of the king of Spain. However, the 
ditches are very ufeful ; they are perpetually covered 
with filhing-boats ; and they can ufe their nets and 
lines here with the greateft fuccefs, even in the moft 
ftormy weather ; though I dare fay this was none of 
the motives that induced his majefty to make them. 

The 



SICILY AND MALTA. l5l 

The nobility of the place have likewife barges here, 
for their amufement. 

As the celebrated fountain of Arethufa has ever 
been looked upon as one of the greatefl curiofities of 
Syracufe, you may believe we were not a little im- 
patient to examine it : And indeed only by obferving 
Cicero's account of it *, we foon found it out. — It 
ftill exaflly anfwers the defcription he gives, except 
with regard to the great quantities of filh it contained, 
which feem now to have abandoned it. 

The fountain of Arethufa was dedicated to Diana, 
who had a magnificent temple near it, where great 
feftivals were annually celebrated in honour of the 
goddefs* We found a number of nymphs, up to the 
knees in the fountain, bufy wafhing their garments, 
and we dreaded the fate of Adlseon and Alpheus : 
but if thefe were of Diana's train, they are by no 
means fo coy as they were of old ; and a man would 
hardly chufe to run the riik of being changed either 
into a ftag or a river for the bed of them. 

It is indeed an aftonifhing fountain ; and rifes at 
once out of the earth, to the fize of a river. — ^The 
poetical fictions concerning it are too well known to 
require that I fhould enumerate them. Many of the 
people here beHeve to this day, that it is the iden- 
tical river Arethufa, that fmks under ground near 
Olympia in Greece, and continuing its courfe for five 



* In hac infula extrema eft fons aqu95 dulcis, cui nomen 
Arethufa eft, incredibili magnitudine pleniffimus plfcium, qui 
fludlu totus operiretur, nifi munitione, ac mole lapidum a mari 
disjunvlus effet, &c. Cic. 

M or 



l62 



A TOUR THROUGH 



or fix hundred miles below the occean, rifes again in 
this fpot. 

It is truly aflonifhing that fuch a ftory as this 
fhould have gained fuch credit amongfl: the ancients, 
for it is not only their poets, but natural hiftorians 
and philofophers too, that take notice of it. Pliny 
mentions it more than once ; and there are few or 
none of the Latin poets that it has efcaped. 

This ftrange behef has been communicated to the 
Sicilian authors, and, what is amazing, there is 
hardly any of them that doubts of it, — Pomponius 
Mela, Paufanias, MalTa, and Fazzello, are all of the 
fame fentiments ; to fupport which they tell you the 
old ftory of the golden cup won at the Olympic 
games, which was thrown into the Grecian Are- 
thufa, and was foon after caft up again by the Sici- 
lian one. 

They likewife add, that it had always been ob- 
ferved that after the great facrifices at Olympia, the 
blood of which fell into that river, the waters of 
Arethufa rofe for feveral days, tinged with blood. 

This, like many modern miracles, was probably a 
trick of the priefts. — Thofe of Diana had the ch^arge 
of the fountain of Arethufa, and no doubt were 
much interefted to fupport the credit of the ftory ; 
for it was that goddefs that converted the nymph 
Arethufa into a river, and conduced her by fubter- 
raneous paffages from Greece to Sicily, to avoid the 
purfuit of Alpheus, who underwent the fame fate. 

At a little diftance from the fountain of Arethufa, 
there is a very large fpring of frefli water, that boils 
up in the fea. It is called Occbi di Zilica^ and by 
fome Alpheus, who is fuppofed by the poets to 

have- 



SICILY AND MALTA. 1 63 

have purfued Arethufa below the fea all the way to 
Sicily. 

As this fpring is not taken notice of by any of the 
great number of the ancients that fpeak of Arethufa, 
it is moft probable that it did not then exift ; and is a 
part of that fountain that has fince burft out before 
its arrival at the ifland of Ortigia. Had it been vifible 
in the time of the Greeks, there is no doubt that they 
would have made ufe of this, as a ftrong argument ta 
prove the fubmarine journey of Arethufa ; as it in fa£t 
rifes at fome diflance in the fea, and pretty much in 
the fame diredion that Greece lies from Ortigia. It 
fometimes boils up fo ftromgly, that after piercing 
the fait water, I am told it can be taken up very little 
affeded by it. 

Syracufe has two harbours ; the largeft of which, 
on the fouth-weft fide of Ortigia, is reckoned fix 
miles round, and was efteemed one of the befl in the 
Mediterranean. It is faid by Diodorus to have run 
almoft into the heart of the city, and was called 
Marmoreo, becaufe entirely furrounded with build- 
ings of marble; the entry into this harbour was 
ftrongly fortified, and the Roman fleets could never 
penetrate into it. 

The fmall port is on the north-eaft of Ortigia, and 
is like wife recorded to have been highly ornamented, 
Fazzello fays, there is ftill the remains of a fubmarine 
aquedudt, that runs through the middle of it, which 
was intended to convey the water from the fountain 
of Arethufa to the other parts of the city. 

Near this port, they fhew the fpot where Archi- 
medes' houfe flood; and likewife the tower from 
whence he is faid to have fet fire to the Roman gal- 

M 2 leys 



1^4 A TOUR THROUGH 

leys With his burning glaffes ; a ftory which is related 
by feveral authors, but which is now almoft univer- 
fally exploded, from the difficulty to conceive a 
burning-glafs, or a concave fpeculum, with a focus of 
fuch an immenfe length as this rnuft have required. 

However, I fliould be apt to imagine if this be not 
entirely a fidion, (of which there is fome probability) 
that it was neither performed by refrading burning- 
glalTes nor fpeculums, but only by means of common 
looking-glafTes, or very clear plates of metal. Indeed, 
from the fituation of the place it muft have been 
done by reflection ; for Archimedes' tower flood on 
the north of the little port where the Roman fleet 
are faid to have been moored ; fo that their veflTels 
lay in a right line betwixt him and the fun at noon ; 
and at a very fmail diftance from the wall of the city 
where this tower fl:ood. But if you will fuppofe 
this to have been performed by common burning- 
glafles, or by thofe of the parabolical kind, it will be 
neceflary to raife a tower of a mofl: enormous height 
on the ifland of Ortigia, in order to interpofe thefe 
glafles betwixt the fun and the Roman galleys ; and 
even this could not have been done till late in the 
afternoon, when his rays are exceedingly weak. 
But I have very little doubt that common looking- 
glaflfes would be found all-fufficient to perform thefe 
effeds. 

Let us fuppofe that a thoufand of thefe were made 
to refled the rays to the fame point : The heat, in all 
probability, muft be increafed tq a greater degree 
than in the focus of moft burning-glafles ; and abun- 
dantly capable of fetting fire to every combuftible 
fubftance." — This experiment might be eafily made 

by 



SICILY AND MALTA. 



by means of a battalion of men, arming each with a 
looking-glafs inflead of a firelock; and fetting up a 
board at two or three hundred yards diftance for 
them to fire at. I fuppofe it would take a confide- 
rable time before they were expert at this exercife ; 
but, by pradlice, I have no doubt that they might all 
be brought to hit the mark inilantaneoufly at the 
word of command ; like the lark-catchers in fome 
countries, who are fo dexterous at this manoeuvre, 
that with a fmall mlrrour they throw the rays of light 
on the lark, let her be ever fo high in the air ; 
which, by a kind of fafcination, brings down the 
poor animal to the fnare. 

You may laugh at all this ; but I don't think it is 
impolTible that a looking-glafs may one day be thought 
as neceffary an implement for a foldier as at prefent it 
is for a beau. I am very apprehenfive the French 
will get the ftart of us in this fignal invention ; as I 
have been alTured long ago, that few of their men 
ever go to the field, without firfl providing them- 
felves with one of thefe little warlike engines, the true 
ufe of which, happily for us, they are as yet unac^ 
quainted with. You will eafily perceive, that if this 
experiment fucceeds, it mufl alter the whole fyftem 
of fortification as well as of attack and defence ; for 
every part of the city that is expofed to the view of 
the befiegers, may be eahly fet in a flame ; and the 
befieged would have the fame advantage over the 
camp of the befieging army *. 

We 



• Since the writing of thefe letters^ the author has been 
informed, that Mr. BniFon aclually made this experiment.— 
He conflruded a kind of frame, in which were fixed four 

M 3 hundred 



A TOUR THROUGH 



We are already completely tired of Syracufe, 
which of all the wretched places we have yet met 
with, is by many degrees the moft wretched : For 
befides that its inhabitants are fo extremely poor and 
beggarly, many of them are fo over-run with the 
itch, that we are under perpetual apprehenfions, and 
begin to be extremely well fatisfied that we could not 
procure beds. — ^It is truly melanct^oiy to think of the 
difmal contraft that its former magnificence makes 
with its prefent meannefs. The mighty Syracufe, the 
moft opulent and powerful of all the Grecian cities, 
which, by its own proper ftrength alone, was able, 
at different times, to contend againft all the power of 
Carthage and of Rome : — ^Which is recorded (what 
the force of united nations is now incapable of) to 
have repulfed fleets of two thoufand fail, and armies 
of two hundred thoufand men ; and contained within 
its own walls, what no city ever did before or fmce, 
fleets and armies that were the terror of the world. 
This haughty and magnificent city, reduced even 
below the confequence of the moft infignificant 
burgh! — "Sic tranfit gloria mundi." — I have not 
even been able to procure a table to write upon, but 
by way of fuccedaneum am obliged to lay a form 
over the back of two chairs. — We have got into the 
moft wretched hovel you can conceive, and the moft 
dirty; but what is ftill worft of all, we can find 



hundred fmall mirrours, difpofed in fuch a manner, that the 
rays reflected from each of them fell exadly on the fame point. 
By means of this he melted lead at the diftance of 130 feet*> 
an4 fet fite to a hayflack at a much greater diftance./ 



nothing 



SICILY AND MALTA, iSj 

nothing to eat ; and if we had not brought fome cold 
fowls along with us, we might have llarved. 

The heat has been confiderably greater here than 
at Catania. The thermometer is juft now at 78. — 
There is an old remark made on the climate of this 
place by fome of the ancients ; which is ftill faid to 
hold good : that at no feafon, the fun has ever been 
invifible during a whole day at Syracufe. I find it 
mentioned by feveral Sicilian authors, but fhall not 
vouch for the truth of it. — Adieu. — My next will 
probably be from Malta ; for we fhall fail to-morrow^ 
if it be poflible to procure a vefTel. 

Ever yours. 



LETTER XIIL 

Capo PafTero, June 3, 
we found the mighty city of Syracufe fo re- 
duced, that it could not aiFord beds and lodging 
to three weary travellers, we agreed to abridge our 
ftay in it ; and accordingly hired a Maltefe Sparonaro 
to carry us to that illand : This is a fmall fix-oar'd boat, 
made entirely for fpeed, to avoid the African pirates, 
and other Barbarefque vefTels, with which thefe feas 
are infellied ; but fo flat and fo narrow, that they are 
not able to bear any fea, and of confequence keep 
always as near the coaft as poffibk. 

On the 2d of June, by day-break, we left the 
Marmoreo, or great port of S)racufe : and although 
|he wind was exadly contrary and pretty flrong, by 

M 4 the 



A TOUR THROUGH 



the force of their oars, which they manage with great 
dexterity, we got on at the rate of four miles an hour. 
They do not pull their oars as we do, but pufh them 
like the Venetian Gondoliers; always fronting the 
prow of the boat, and feldom or never fit down 
while they row ; allowing the whole weight of their 
bodies to be exerted every ftroke of the oar. This 
gives a prodigious momentum, and is certainly much 
more forcible than a fimple exertion of the mufcles 
of the arm. 

About ten o'clock the wind became favourable, 
when we went indeed at an immenfe rate. At twelve 
it blew a hurricane, and with fome difficulty we got 
under lliore, but the wind was fo exceedingly violent, 
that even there we had like to have been overfet, and 
we were obliged to run aground to fave us from that 
difaller. Here we were a good deal annoyed by the 
fand carried about by the wind ; however, the hurri- 
cane was foon over, and we again put to fea with a 
favourable gale, which in a few hours carried us to 
Capo Paflero. 

In this little ftorm we were a good deal amufed 
with the behaviour of our Sicilian fervant, who at 
land is a fellow of undaunted courage, of which we 
have had many proofs ; but here (I don't know why) 
it entirely forfook him, although there was in fact no 
real danger, for we never were more than i oo yards 
from the fhore. He gave himfelf up to defpair, and 
called upon all his faints for protection : And never 
again recovered his confidence all the reft of this little 
voyage ; perpetually wifhing himfelf back at Naples, 
and ^wearing that no earthly temptation fhould ever 
induce him to go to fea again. The fame fellow, but 

a few 



SICILY AND MALTA. 



a few days ago, mounted a mod vicious horfe, and 
without the leafc fear or concern galloped along the 
fide of a precipice, where every moment we ex- 
pelled to fee him dafhed to pieces j fo fmgular and 
various are the different modes of fear and of 
courage. 

Capo PafTero, anciently called Pachinus, is the 
remotefl and mofl foutherly point of Sicily. It is 
not a peninfula, as reprefented in all the maps, but 
a wretched barren ifland, of about a mile round ; 
with a fort and a fmall garrifon to protedl the neigh- 
bouring country from the incurfions of the Bar- 
bary corfairs, who are often very troublefome on 
this part of the coaft. This little ifland and fort lie 
about a mile and a half diftant from the fmall creek 
of which we have taken polfeffion, and are feparated 
from the reft of Sicily by a ftrait of about half a 
mile broad. 

Our pilot told us that we muft not think of Malta, 
which is almoft loo miles off, till there were more 
fettled appearances of good weather. 

As there is no habitation here of any kind, we 
fearched about, till at laft we found a friiall cavern, 
where we made a very comfortable dinner. We then 
fallied forth to examine the face of the country, as 
well as to try if we could fhoot fomething for our 
fupper. — We found that we had now got into a very 
different world from any thing we had yet feen. The 
country here is exceedingly barren, and to a confi- 
derable diftance produces neither corn nor wine : 
But the fields are adorned with an infinite variety of 
flowers and of flowering flirubs, and the rocks are 
every where entirely covered with capers, which are 

juft 



A TOUR THROUGH 



juft now fit for gathering. If we had vhiegar, we 
could foon have pickled hogfheads of them. 

We found here, in the greatefl perfection that 
beautiful flirub called the Palmeta, refembling a fmall 
palm-tree, with an elegant fme flower : But, to our 
great mortification, the feed is not yet ripe. We 
likewife found great quantities of a blue everlafting 
flower, which I don't remember to have feen in Mil* 
ler, or any of our botanical books. The ftem rifes 
about a foot high, and is crowned with a large cluf- 
ter of fmall blue flowers, the leaves of which are of a 
dry fubftante like the Elychryfum, or globe Ania- 
ranthus. Some of thefe are of a purple colour, but 
moft of them blue. I have gathered a pretty large 
quantity for the fpeculation of the botanifl:s on our 
return. 

We found a good fwimming-place, which is ;al- 
ways one of the firfl: things we look out for, as this 
exercife conftitutes one of the principal pleafuires of 
qnv expedition. 

As foon as it was dark, we got on board our little 
boat, and rowed about a hundred yards out to fea, 
where we caft anchor ; our pilot aflTuring us that this 
was abfolutely neceflary, as the people in this part of 
the country are little better than favages ; and, were 
we to, fl:ay at land, might very pofTibly come down 
during the night, and rob and murder us. 

He likewife told us, that the Turks had made fre^ 
quent invafions upon this point of the ifland, which ^ 
of all others, lay moft expofed to their depredations ; 
that lately three of their chebecks ran into a fmall 
harbour a few miles from this, and carried off fix 
meixhant'fliipsj and th^t very often fon^e of their 
6 light; 



SICILY AND MALTA. 

light veflels were feen hovering off the coaO:; that 
the only way to be in perfect fecurity from thefe two 
enemies by fea and land, was to chufe a place on the 
coafl fo deep, that the banditti by land could not 
wade in to us ; and at the fame time fo fhallow, as to 
be equally inacceffible to the banditti by fea. 

When we found ourfelves thus in fecurity on both 
hands, we wrapt ourfelves up in our cloaks, and fell 
afleep : however, we had but a very uncomfortable 
night ; the wind rofe, and the motion of our little 
bark was exceeding difagreeable, and made us hear- 
tily fick. As foon as day began to appear, we made 
them pull into fhore; when we were immediately 
cured of our ficknefs ; and as the weather continues 
ftill unfavourable, we have fallen upon a variety of 
amufements to pafs the time. 

We have been thrice in the water, which is warm 
and pleafant ; and in the intervals, I have writ you 
this letter on the top of a large bafket, in which we 
carry our fea-ftore. We have likewife gathered 
(hells, pieces of coral, of fpunge, and feveral beau- 
tiful kinds of fea-weed. The rocks here are all of 
fand and gravel run together, and become as hard as 
granite. There are many fhells and other marine 
fubitances mixed in their compofition, which renders 
them objeds of curiofity in the eye of a naturalift. 

This morning we made a kind of tent of a fail, 
drawn over the point of a rock, and fixed with an 
oar, by way of pole. Here we breakfafted moll 
luxurioufly on excellent tea and honey of Hybla. 

I was interrupted in this part of my letter, by an 
officer from the fort of Capo Paffero. Fie tells us, 
that we may give over all thoughts of getting farther 

for 



172 



A TOUR THROUGH 



for thefe fix days.— What do you think is his reafon ? 
— I own I was in fome pain till he mentioned it.— 
This wind fet in exadlly as the moon entered her fe- 
cond quarter, and it will certainly continue till fhe is 
full. There is a rafcal for you ! — If he be telling 
truth, I fhall certainly fludy aflrology. He likewife 
told us, that two galliots had been feen off the coaft ; 
and defired us to be upon our guard ; but I own, the 
moon, together with other circumftances, has coa* 
fiderably weakened his evidence with me. 

We have learned from his converfation, that the 
fort of Capo Pailero is made ufe of as a place of exile 
for the delinquents in the army ; of which number I 
iiave not the leafl doubt that he is one. He told us 
there were two near relations of the viceroy, that had 
been lately fent there for mifdemeanors ; that for his 
part, he belonged to a very agreeable garrifon ; but 
as he loved retirement, he chofe to accompany them. 
However, his countenance told a very different flory ; 
and faid, in ftrong language, that he was a tres mauvais 
Jujet, Befides, he is a ftupid fellov/, and has tired me. 
I could learn nothing from him. 

It muff be owned, this is an excellent place of exile 
for a young rake, who wants to ffiow av^^ay in the 
beau monde. It is not within many miles of any town 
or village ; fo that the gentlemen may enjoy retire-^ 
pent in its utmoff perfection. 

We were furprifed to find on this coaff quantities 
of the true pumice-ffone, which at firff we fuppofed 
to have been brought by the fea from iEtna, till we 
likewile difcovered many large pieces of lava, which 
makes us imagine there muff have been fome eruption 
of fire in this part of the ifland ; yet I fee no conical 
Dipuntaioj or any other indication of it. 



SICILY AND MALTAe 



If our officer's prognoilications prove true, and we 
are detained here any longer, I fliall examine the 
country to a much greater diftance. The wind con» 
tinues diredly contrary ; the fea is very high in the 
canal of Malta, and our Sicilian fervant is in a fad tre- 
pidation,— But I fee Glover and Fullarton coining 
for their dinner ; fo I lhall be obliged to give up the 
ba&et. — This fea-air gives one a monftrous appetite ; 
and, it is with grief I mention it, we are already 
brought to fnort allowance Only one cold fowl 
amongfl: three of us ; all three pretty lharp fet, I aiTure 
you. — -Thofe infamous rafcals to lofe our turtle ! — ■ 
They have fpied a filhing boat, and are hailing her as 
loud as they can roar, — but, alas ! fhe is too far off 
to hear them, — They have juft fired a gun to bring 
her to, and happily Ihe obeys the fignal^ fo there k 
ftill hopes ; otherwife we ihali foon be reduced to 
bread and v/ater. Our tea and fugar too are jufl upon, 
a clofe, which is the cruelleft article of all ; but we 
have plenty of good bread and Hybia honey j fo W£ 
are in no danger of ftarving. 

We have likevvife made an admirable and a veiy 
comfortable difpofition for our night's lodging. The 
Sparonaro is fo very narrow, that it is impofTible for 
us ail to lie in it ; befides, we are eat up with vermin^ 
and have nothing but the hard boards to lie on : All 
thefe confiderations, added to the curfed Rvinging of 
the boat, and the horrid ficknefs it occafions, have 
determined us rather to truil ourfelves to the mercy 
of the banditti, than to lie another night at fea ; Be- 
fides, we have made the happieft difcovery in the 
world ; a great quantity of fine, foft, dry fea- weed ; 
lying under the flielter of a rock^ and feems intended 

by 



174 ^ TOUR THROUGH 

by Providence for our bed : Over this we are going 
to ftretch a fail, and exped to fleep moft luxurioufly ; 
but to prevent all danger from a furprife, we have 
agreed to ftand centry by turns, with FulIarton*s 
double barrelled gun, well primed and loaded for the 
reception of the enemy ^ at the firfl: difcharge of which, 
and not before, the whole guard is to turn out, with 
all the -remaining part of our artillery and fmall arms ; 
and as our fituation is a very advantageous one, I think 
we fliall be able to make a ftout defence. 

As we are fix in number, three mafters and three 
fervants, the duty, you fee, will be but trifling ; and 
five of us will always fleep in fecurity. Our guard to 
be fure, might have been flironger ; but our Sparona- 
- ro men have abfolutely refufed to be of the party ; 
having much more confidence in their own element ; 
however, they have promifed, in cafe of an attack, im- 
mediately to come to our aflifl:ance. I think the difpo- 
lition is far from being a bad one, and we are not a 
little vain of our generalfliip. 

The fifliing-boat is now arrived, and they have 
bought fome excellent Httle fiflies, which are already 
on the fire. Adieu. Thefe fellows are roaring for 
their cold fowl, and I can command the bafl^et no 
longer. 

Ever yours. 



f 



SICILY AND MALTA^ 



LETTER XIV, 

Malta, June 4th. 

JN fpite of appearances, and our officer's wife prog- 
noflications, the wind changed in the afternoon, 
and we got under fail by fix o'clock : We paffed the 
Straits, and coafled along till eight, when we landed 
to cook fome macaroni we had purchafed of our 
failors, and try if we could fhoot fomething for fea- 
Itore, as we have ilill a long voyage before us. 

We came to the fide of a fulphurous lake, the 
fmell of which was fo ftrong, that we perceived it up- 
wards of a mile diftant. We found the water boiling 
up with violence in many places, though the heat at 
the banks of the lake is very inconfiderable. However, 
this added to the pumice and lava we found near 
Capo PalTero, tends greatly to confirm us in the opi- 
nion, that this part of the ifland, as well as about ^tna, 
has, in former ages, been fubjeft to eruptions of fire. 

I think it is m.ore than probable, that this is the cele- 
brated Camerina, which iEneas faw immediately after 
his pafiing Pachynus, (or Capo Faffero) which, Virgil 
fays, the Fates had decreed fhould never be drained : 

** Hinc atl^s caates projedaque faxa Pachyni 
Radimus ; et fatls nunquam concefTa moveri 
*' Adparet Camarina procul." 

Virgil had good reafon to fay fo ; for the level of the 
lake or marfh (it being fomething betv;^ixt the two) is 
at lead as low as that of the fea, and confequently 
never could be drained. 

It 



A TOUR THROUGH 



It is furrounded with a variety of fine evergfeetis 
and flowering fhrubs, of which the palmeta, and the 
arbutus or ftrawberry tree, are the moft beautiful. 
We faw a great many wild-fowl ; but, what furprifed 
me, in fo unfrequented a place, they were fo £hy, 
that there was no getting near them : There was one 
kind, in particular, that attradted our attention ; it 
was of the fize and form of a grey plover, and flew in 
the fame manner ; but had a tail of a great length, 
which feemed to be compofed only of two fmall flexi- 
ble feathers, that made a very uncommon appearance 
in the air. After ufing all our art to flioot one of them, 
we were obliged to give up the attempt. 

Here we killed a fmall black fnake, which I think, 
anfwers the defcription I have feen of the afp. We dif- 
fered out its tongue, the end of which appears fliarp 
like a fliing, and I fuppofe is one, as it darted it out 
with violence againft our fliicks, when we prefented 
them to it. Now as all animals, when attacked, make 
ufe of thofe weapons that nature has armed them with 
for their defence, it appeared evident to us, (fuppo- 
fmg this rule a jufl one) that this animal was confcious 
of a power of hurting in its tongue ; and we have 
been more fully convinced of it from dilTedion. The 
fling appears confiderably larger than that of a bee. 
We found a little bag at the other end of the tongue, 
and probably, if we had had a microfcope, fliould 
have found the tongue perforated. This fnake had no 
teeth ; but very hard gums. I have taken care to pre- 
ferve the tongue for your infpedion. 

As I think it has always been fuppofed, that fer- 
pents hurt only with their teeth, I thought this might 
be worthy of your notice. It is true, that the ^darting 

out 



SICILY A>TD MALTA. 



177 



dut of the tongue is a trick of the whole fel*pent tribe ; 
but this animal feemed to do it with peculiar ferocity, 
and to ftrike it with violence againft our fticks. It 
was this that put us upon the examination* 

I don't fecoiledi: that this fmgularity is nlentioned 
in any book of natural hiflory, but poffibly I may be 
miftaken ; nor indeed do 1 remember either to have 
feen or heard of any animal armed in this manner : — * 
Unlefs you will fuppofe me to adopt the fentiments of 
poor Mr. S^- — , who, ever fmce his marriage, alleges^ 
that the tongues of many females, are formed after 
this fmgular manner : and remarks one peculiarity, 
that the fling feldom or never appears till after matri- 
mony. — He is very learned on this fubjed, and thinks 
it may poffibly have proceeded from their original 
connexion with the ferpent. — Let this be as it may, 
I fincerely hope that you and I fhall never have fuch 
good reafon for adopting that opinion. 

A little after nine we embarked. The night was 
delightful ; but the wind had died av/ay about fun-fet, 
and we were obliged to ply our oars to get into the 
canal of Malta. The coafl of Sicily began to recede ; 
and in a fhort time, we found ourfelves in the ocean. 
There was a profound filence, except the noife of the 
waves breaking on the diftant fhore, which only fer- 
ved to render it more folemn. It was a dead calm, and 
the moon fhone bright on the waters. The waves 
from the late ftorm, were ftill high ; but fmooih and 
even-> and followed one another with a flow and equal 
pace. The fcene had naturally funk us into medita- 
tion ; we had remained .near an hour without fpealdng 
a word, when our failors began their midnight hymn 
to the Virgin. The mufic was fimple, fclemn, and 

N ine« 



178 



A TOUR THROUGH 



melancholy, and in perfe£l harmony with the fcene^^ 
and with all our feelings. They beat exad time 
with their oars, and obferved the harmony and the 
cadence with the utmofl precifion. We hftened with 
iniinite pleafure to this melancholy concert, and felt 
ihe vanity of operas and oratorios. There is often a 
folemnity and a pathetic in the modulation of thefe 
fimple productions, that caufes a much ftronger effed, 
than the compofition of the greatefl mafters, affifted 
by all the boafted rules of counter-point. 

At lail they fung us afleep, and we awoke forty 
miles diftant from Sicily. We were now on the main 
ocean, and faw no land but mount ^tna ; which is 
the perpetual polar ftar of thefe feas. We had a fine 
breeze, and about two o'clock we difcovered the illand 
of Malta ; and in lefs than three hours more, we reach- 
N ed the city of Valetta. The approach of the ifland is 
very fine, although the fhore is rather low and rocky. 
It is every where made inacceflible to an enemy, by 
an infinite number of fortifications. The rock, in many 
places, has been floped. into the form af a glacis, with 
fcrong parapets and intrenchments running behind it. 

The entry into the port is very narrow, and is com- 
manded by a flrong caflle on either fide. We were 
haled from each of thefe, and obliged to give a flrid: 
account of ourfelves ; and on our arrival at the fide 
of the key, we were vifited by an officer from the 
health-office, and obliged to give oath with regard to 
the circumflances of our voyage. — He behaved in the 
civileft manner, and immediately fent us Mr. Rutter, 
the Englifh conful, for whom we had letters of re- 
comxmendation. 

On getting on fliorcj we found ouirfelves in a new- 
world 



SIGILY AND MALTA. 



world indeed. — The ftreets crowded with well-drefled 
people, who have all the appearance of health and 
affluence ; whereas at Syracufe, there was fcarce a crea- 
ture to be feen ; and even thofe few had the appear- 
ance of difeafe and wretchednefs. — Mr. Rutter imme- 
diately conduced us to an inn, which had more the 
appearance of a palace* We have had an excellent fup- 
per, and good Burgundy ; and as this is the king^s 
birthday, we have almoft got tipfey to his health. We 
are now going into clean, comfortable beds, in expec- 
tation of the fweetefl flumbers. — Think of the luxury 
of this, after being five long days without throwing 
off our cloaths.—Good night. I would not lofe a mo- 
ment of it for the world. — People raay fay what they 
pleafe, but there is no enjoyment in Hving in perpetual 
<eafe and affluence, and the true luxury is only to be 
attained by undergoing a few hardfhips.— But this is 
no time to philofophife. So adieu. 



LETTER XV, 

Malta, June ^th. 

^\ U R banker, Mr. Poufilach, was here before we 
were up, inviting us to dine with him at his 
country-houfe, from whence we are juft now returned. 
He gave us a noble entertainment, ferved on plate, 
with an elegant defert, and a great variety of wines. 
After dinner we went to vifit the principal villas of 
the iiland ; particularly thofe of the grand mafler, and 
the general of the galleys, which lie contiguous to 
«ach other. Thefe are nothing great or magnificent ; 

N 2 but 



iBo A TOUR tHROUGH 



but they are admirably contrived for a hot climate 
where, of all things, fhade is the mod defirable. The 
orange groves are indeed very fine, and the fruit they 
bear are fuperior to any thing you have feen either in 
Spain or Portugal. 

The afpe£l of the country is far from being plea- 
fing : the whole ifland is a great rock of very white 
free-ftone, and the foil that covers this rock, in moft 
places, is not more than five or fix inches deep ; yet, 
what is fingular, we found their crop in general was 
exceedingly abundant. They account for it from the 
copious dews that fall during the fpring and fummer 
months ; and pretend likewife, that there is a moifture 
in the rock below the foil, that is of great advantage to 
the corn and cotton, keeping its roots perpetually moift 
and cool ; without which fingular quality, they fay 
they could have no crops at all, the heat of the fun is 
fo exceedingly violent. 

Their barley harveft has been over fome time ago ; 
and they are jufl now finifhing that of the wheat. 
The whole ifland produces corn only fufficient to fup* 
port its inhabitants for five months, or little more j 
but the crop they mofi: depend upon is the cotton. 
They began fowing it about three weeks ago, and it 
will be finifhed in a week more. The time of reaping 
it is in the month of October and beginning of No- 
vember. 

They pretend that the cotton produced from this 
plant, which is fown and reaped in four months, is 
of a much fuperior quality to that of the cotton-tree. 
I compared them, but I cannot fay I found it fo ; 
this is indeed the fineft, but that of the cotton- tree is 
by much the ftrongeft texture. The plant rifes to 

the 



SICILY AND MALTA, 



the height of a foot and a half, and is covered with 
a number of nuts or pods full of cotton ; Thefe, when 
ripe, they are at great pains to cut off every morning 
before fun-rife ; for the heat of the fun immediately 
turns the cotton yellow j which, indeed, we faw from 
thofe pods they fave for feed. 

They manufadure their cotton into a great variety 
of fluffs. Their ftockings are exceedingly fine. Some 
of them, they alTured us, had been fold for ten fe- 
quins a pair. Their coverlits and blankets are efteem« 
ed all over Europe. Of thefe the principal manufac- 
tures are eftablifhed in the Httle illand of Gozzo, 
where the people are faid to be more induftrious than 
thofe of Malta, as they are more excluded from the 
world, and have fewer inducements to idlenefs. Here 
the fugar-cane is ftiil cultivated with fuccefs, though 
not in any confiderable quantity. 

The Maltefe oranges certainly deferve the charac- 
ter they have of being the finefl in the world. The 
feafon continues for upwards of feven months ; from 
November till the middle of June ; during which 
time, thofe beautiful trees are always covered with 
abundance of tliis delicious fruit, Many of them are 
of the red kind, much fuperior, in my opinion, to 
the others, which are rather too lufcious. They are 
produced, I am told, from the common orange bud, 
engrafted on the pomegranate flock. The juice of 
this fruit is red as blood, and of a fine flavour, The 
greatefl part of their crop is fent in prefents to the 
different courts of Europe, and to the relations of 
the chevaHers. It was not without a good deal of 
difiiculty that we procured a few chefts for our friends 
at Napleso 

N S The 



A TOUR THROUGH 



The induflry of the Maltefe in cultivating their 
little illand is inconceivable. There is not an inch 
of ground lofl in any part of it ; and where there 
was not foil enough, they have brought over (hips 
and boats loaded with it from Sicily, where there is 
plenty and to fpare. The whole illand is full of in^ 
clofures 'of free-ftone, which gives the country a very 
uncouth and a very barren afped ; and, in fummer, 
refleQis fuch a light and heat, that it is exceedingly 
difagreeable and ofxenfjve to the eyes. The inclo- 
fures are very fmall and irregular, according to the 
inclination of the ground. This, they fay, they are 
obliged to obferve, notwithflanding the deformity it 
pccafions ; otherwife the floods, to which they are 
fubjed, would foon carry off their foil. 

The ifiand is covered over with country houfes 
and villages, befides feven cities, for fo they term 
them ; but there are only tv/o, the Valetta and the 
Citta Vecchla, that by any means deferve that appel- 
lation. Every little village has a noble church, ele- 
gantly finifhed and adorned with ilatues of marble, 
rich tapeftry, and a large quantity of filver plate* 
They are by much the handfpmeft country churches 
I have ever feen. But I am interrupted in my 
writing, by the beginning (I am told) of a very fine 
fhow. If it be fo, I fhall give you fome account of 
it by and by. 

Eleven at night. ' The fhow is now finiflied, and 
has afforded us great entertainment. It v/as the de- 
parture of a Maltefe fquadron to afTift the French 
againft the Bey of Tunis, who, it feems, has fallen 
under the difpleafure of the grand monarque, becaufe 
lie refufed to deliver up without ranfom^ the Cor- 

fican 



SICILY AND MALTA. iSj 

fican flaves that were taken before the French were 
in poffeffion of that ifland. The fquadron confided 
of three gallies ; the largefl v/ith nine hundred men, 
each of the others with feven hundred ; three galHots, 
and feveral fcampavias^ fo called from their exceeding 
fwiftnefs. Thefe immenfe bodies were all worked 
by oars, and moved with great regularity. The ad- 
miral went firft, and the reft in order, according to 
their dignity. The fea was crowded with boats, and 
the ramparts and fortifications were filled with com- 
pany. The port refounded on all fides with the dif- 
charge of heavy artillery, which was anfwered by the 
gallies and galhots as they left the harbour. As the 
echo is here uncommonly great, it produced a very 
noble effed. 

There were about thirty knights in each galley, 
making fignals all the way to their miftreffes, who 
were weeping for their departure upon the baflions ; 
for thefe gentlemen pay almofl as little regraxl to their 
Yows of chaflity, as the priefls and confelTors do. 
After viewing the fliow from the ramparts, we took 
a boat and followed the fquadron for fome time, and 
did not return till long after fun-fet. 

We have been admiring the wonderful ftrength of 
this place, both by nature and art. — It is certainly 
the happieft fituation that can be imagined. The city 
flands upon a peninfula, betwixt two of the fmefl 
ports in the world, which are defended by almo.fl 
impregnable fortifications. That on the fouth-eafl 
fide of the city is the largefl. It runs about two 
miles into the heart of the ifland, and is fo very de-p, 
and furrounded by fuch high grounds and fortifica- 
tions, that they afTured us, the largefl ihips of war 

N 4 might 



i84 



A TOUR THROUGH 



might ride here in the moft ftormy weather, almofl; 
"without a cable. 

This beautiful bafon is divided into five diflind 
harbours, all equally fafe, and each capable of con- 
taining an immenfe number of ftiipping. The mouth 
of the harbour is fcarcely a quarter of a mile broad, 
and is commanded on each fide by batteries that 
would tear the ftrongeft fhip to pieces before fhe 
could enter, Befides this, it is fronted by a quar 
druple battery, one above the other, the largeft of 
which is a Jleur d'eau^ or on a level with the water, 
Thefe are mounted with about 80 of their heaviefl 
artillery ; fo that this harbour, I think, may really 
be confidered as impregnable ; and indeed the Turks 
have ever found it fo, and I believe ever will. 

The harbour on the north fide of the city, al- 
though they only ufe it for fifhing, and as a place of 
quarantine, would, in any other part of the world, ^ 
be confidered as ineflimable. It is likewife defended 
by very ftrong works ; and in the center of the bafon 
there is an ifland on which they have built a caftle 
and a lazaret. 

The fortifications of Malta are indeed a moft: flu- 
pendous work. All the boafted catacombs of Rome 
and Naples are a trifle to the immenfe excavations 
that have been made in this little ifland. The ditches, 
of a vaft fize, are all cut out of the folid rock. Thefe 
extend for a great many miles ; and raife our afto- 
niihment to think that fo fmall a ilate has ever been 
able to make them. 

One fide of the ifland is fo completely fortified by 
nature, that there was nothing left for art. The 
rock is of ^ great height, and ^bfolutely perpen- 
dicular 



SICILY AND MALTA, 1 85 

'dicular from the fea for feveral miles. It is very fm- 
gular, that on this fide there are flill the veftiges of 
feyerai ancient roads, with the tracks of carriages 
worn deep in the rocks : Thefe roads are now termi- 
nated by the precipice, with the fea beneath ; and 
fhew to a demonllration, that this illand has in for- 
mer ages been of a much larger fize than it is at 
prefent 5 but the convulfion that occafioned its dimi- 
nution is probably much beyond the reach of any 
hiftory or tradition. It has often been obferved, not- 
withftanding the very great diftance of mount ^tna, 
that this illand has generally been more or lefs aifed- 
\ ed by its eruptions, and they think it probable, that 
on fome of thofe occafions a part of it may have 
been fliaken into the fea. 

We have now an opportunity of obferving that 
one half of mount JEtm. is clearly difcovered from 
Malta. They reckon the diftance near 200 Italian 
miles. And the people here affure us, that in the 
great eruptions of that mountain, their whole ifland 
is illuminated ; and from the refledion in the water, 
there appears a great track of fire in the fea all the 
way from Malta to Sicily. The thundering of the 
mountain is likewife diftindly heard. — Good night. — 
I am fatigued with this day's expedition, and fhall 
finifli my letter to-morrow. 

June 6th. As the city of Valetta is built upon a 
hill, none of the ftreets except the key are leveL 
They are all paved with white free-ftone, which not 
only creates a great duft, but from its colour is like- 
wife fo offenfive to the eyes, that moft of the people 

here 



A TOUR. THROdGli; 



here are remarkably weak-fighted. The principal 
buildings are the palace of the grand mafler, the in- 
^rmary, the arfenalj the inns or hotels of the Seven 
Tongues, and the great church of St. John. The 
palace is a noble though a plain ftrudure, and the 
grand mafter (who iludies conveniency more than 
magnificence) is more comfortably and commodioufly 
lodged than any prince in Europe, the king of Sar- 
dinia perhaps only excepted. The great flair is the 
eafiefl and the bell I ever faw. 

St. John's is a magnificent church. The pave- 
ment in particular, is reckoned the richeil in the 
world. ■ It is entirely compofed of fepulchral monu- 
ments of the finefl marbles, porphyry, lapis lazuli, 
and a variety of other valuable ftdnes, admirably 
joined together, and at an incredible expence; re- 
prefenting in a kind of Mofaic, the arms, infignia, &c. 
of the perfons whofe names they are intended to com- 
memorate. . In the magnificence of thefe monuments^ 
the heirs of the grand mafters and commanders have 
long vied with each other. 

We went this day to fee the celebration of their 
church fervice. It feems to be more overcharged 
with parade and ceremony than what I have ever 
obferved even in any other catholic country. The 
number of genufledions before the altar, the kifling 
of the prior's hand, the holding up of his robes by 
the fubaltern prieils, the ceremony of throwing in- 
cenie upon all the knights of the great crofs, and 
negleding the poorer knights, with many other 
articles, appeared to us highly ridiculous; and 
mod eifeatialiy different indeed from that purity and 

fimplicity 



SICILY AND MALTA, 



,87 



fimplicity of worfhip that conftitutes the very eflence 
of true Chriflianity ; and of which the great pattern 
they pretend to copy, fet fo very noble an ex- 
ample. 

Jhb day (the 6th of June) is held as a thankf- 
giving for their deliverance from a terrible confpi- 
racy that v/as formed about twenty-one years ago, 
by the Turkiih Haves ; at one ftroke to put an end to 
the whole order of Malta. All the fountains of the 
place were to be poifoned ; and every Have had taken, 
a folemn oath to put his mafter to death. 

It was difcovered by a Jew, who kept a cofFee- 
houfe. He underftood the Turkifh language, and 
overheard fome difcourfe that he thought fufpicious. 
He went immediately and informed the grand mafter» 
The fufpe£led perfons were inftantly feized and put 
to the torture, and foon confefled the whole plot. 
The executions were (hocking. One hundred and 
twenty-five were put to death by various torments. 
Some were burned alive, fome were, broken on the 
wheel, and fome were torn to pieces by the four 
galleys rowing different ways, and each bringing off 
its limb. Since that time, the flaves have been much 
more ftri£lly watched, and have lefs liberty than for- 
merly. Adieu. I fhall write you again before we 
leave Malta, 



Yours, &c. 



I-8S A TOUJl THROUGH 



LETTER XVL 

Malta, June 7th. 

^J*^ HIS day we made an expedition thro' the 
ifland in coaches drawn by one mule each 5 the 
only kind of vehicle the place affords. Our con- 
dudors could fpeak nothing but Arabic, which is 
fliil the language of the common people of Malta ; 
fo that you may believe we did not reap much benefit 
from their converfation. We went firfl to the an^ 
cient city of Melita, which is near the center of the 
ifland, and com.mands a view of the whole ; and in 
clear weather, they pretend, of part of Barbary, 
and of Sicily. The city is flirongly fortified, and is 
governed by an ofHcer called the Hahem. He re- 
ceived us very politely, and (hewed us the old palace, 
which is not indeed much worth the feeing. The 
cathedral is a very line church ; and although of an 
exceeding large fize, is at prefent entirely hung with 
crimfon damafk richly laced with gold. 

The catacombs, not far from this city, are a great 
work. They are faid to extend for fifteen miles 
under ground ; however, this you are obliged to take 
on the credit of your guides, as it would rather be 
riil^ing too much to put it to the trial. Many people^ 
they allure us, have been lofl from advancing too far 
in them ; the prodigious number of branches making 
it next to impoiTible to find the way out again. 

From this we went to fee the Bofquetta, where th^ 
.grand mailer has his country palace j by the accounts 

we 



SICILY AND MALTA. 1S9 

We had of it at Valetta, we expeded to find a foreft 
ftored with deer and every kind of game, as they 
talked much of the great hunts that were made every 
year in thefe woods. — We were not a Httle furprifed 
to find only a few fcattered trees, and about half a 
dozen deer ; but as this is the only thing like a 
wood in the ifland, it is efteemed a very great cu- 
riofity. The palace is as little worth feeing as the 
foreft ; though indeed the profped from the top of 
it is very fine. The furniture is three or four hun- 
dred years old, and in the moft Gothick tafte that can 
be imagined : But indeed the grand mailer feldom or 
never refides here. 

The great fource of water that fupplies the city of 
Valetta, takes its rife near to this place ; and there is 
ah aqueduct compofed of fome thoufand arches, that 
conveys it from thence to the city. The whole of 
this immenfe work was finifhed at the private expence 
of one of the grand mafters. 

Not far from the old city there is a fmall church , 
dedicated to St. Paul ; and juft by the church, a mi- 
raculous ftatue of the faint with a viper on his hand ; 
fuppofed to be placed on the very fpot on which 
the houfe flood where he was received after his 
Ihipwreck on this ifland, and where he fhook the 
viper off his hand into the fire without being hurt by 
it : At which time the Pvlaltefe afiure us the faint 
curfed all the venomous animals of the ifland, and 
baniftied them for ever ; juft as St. Patrick treated 
thofe of his favourite ifle. Whether this be the 
caufe of it or not, we fhall leave to divines to deter- 
mine, (though if it had, I think St. Luke would have 
mentioned it in the Ads of the Apoftles) but the 

fad 



igO A roVK THROUGH 

fact is certain that there are no venomous animals 
in Malta. They aflured us that vipers had been 
brought from Sicily, and died almoft immediately on 
their arrival. 

-Adjoining to the church there is the celebrated 
grotto in which the faint was imprifoned; It is 
looked upon with the utmoit reverence and venera- 
tion ; and if the ftories they tell of it be true, it is 
well entitled to it alL It is exceedingly damp, and 
produces (I believe by a kind of petrifaction from the 
water) a whitilh kind of (tone, which they affure us, 
when reduced to powder, is a fovereign remedy in 
many difeafes, and faves the lives of thoufands every - 
year. There is not a houfe in the ifland that is 
not provided with it : And they tell us there are 
many boxes of it fent annually not only to Sicily 
and Italy, but likewife to the Levant and the Eafl- 
Indies ; and (what is confidered as a daily {landing 
miracle) notwithftanding this perpetual confumption, 
it has never been exhaufted nor even fenfibly dimi^ 
niftied ; the faint always taking care to fupply them 
■with a frefh quantity the day following. 

You may be fure we did not fail to fluff our 
pockets with this wonderful flone ; I fufpeded they 
would have prevented us, as I did not fuppofe the 
faint would have worked for heretics ; however 
neither he nor the priefls had any objedion, and we 
gave them a few Pauls * more for their civility. I 
tailed fome of it, and believe it is a very harmlefs 
thing. It tafles like exceeding bad Magnefia, and I 
believe has pretty much the fame effeds. They give 

* A Tmall filvep coin» 



aboul 



SICILY AND MALTA. I9I 

about a tea-fpoonful of it to children in the fmall-pox 
and in. fevers. It produces a copious fweat about an 
hour after, and, they fay, never fails to be of fervice. 
It is likev^ife efteemed a certain remedy againfl the 
bite of all venomous animals. There is a very fine 
ftatue of St. Paul in the middle of this grotto, to 
which they afcribe great powers. 

We were delighted, on our way back to the city, 
with the beauty of the fetting fun ; much fuperior, 
I think, to what I have ever obferved it in Italy. 
The whole of the eaftern part of the heavens^, for 
half an hour after fun-fet, was of a fine deep purple, 
and made a beautiful appearance i i nis the Maltefe 
tell us is generally the cafe every evening,- at this 
feafon of the year. 

I forgot to fay any thing of our prefentation to 
the grand mafter, for which I aik pardon both of you 
and him — His name is Pinto, and of a Portuguefe fa- 
mily. He has now been at the head of this fmgular 
little ftate for upwards of thirty years. He received 
us with great politenefs, and was highly pleafed to find 
that fome of us had been in Portugal. Pie mentioned 
the intimate commercial connexions that had fo long 
fubfifled betwixt our nations, and exprened his de- 
fire of being of fervice to us, and of rendering our flay 
in his ifland as agreeable as poilible. Pie is a clear- 
headed, fenfible, little old man ; which, at fo ad- 
vanced a period of life, is very uncommon. Al- 
though he is confiderably upwards of ninety, he retains 
all the faculties of his mind in perfeftion. He has 
no minifter, but manages every thing himfelf ; and 
has immediate information of the rnofl minute occurr- 
ences. He walks up and dov/n flairs, and even to 

church. 



A roVk THROUGH 



church, without afliftance, and has the appearance as 
if he would ftill Hve for many years. His houfehold 
attendance and court are all very princely j and as 
grand mafter of Malta, he is more abfolute, and pof* 
fefles more power than moft fovereign princes. His 
titles are Serene Highnefs and Eminence; and as he 
has the difpofal of all lucrative offices, he makes of 
his councils what he pleafes ; befides, in all the coun- 
cils that compofe the jurifdidion of this little nation, 
he himfelf prefides, and has two votes. Since he 
was chofen grand mafler, he has already given away 
126 commenderies, forae of them worth upwards of 
2 cool, a year 5 befides priories and other offices of 
profit. —He has the difpofal of twenty-one commen- 
deries and one priory every five years 5 and as there 
are always a number of expedants, he is very much 
courted. 

He is chofen by a committee of twenty-one ; which 
committee is nominated by the feven nations, three 
out of each nation. The eledion mufi: be over with- 
in three days after the death of the former grand 
mafter ; and during thefe three days^ there is fcarce 
a foul that fleeps at Malta : All is cabal and in- 
trigue ; and moft of the knights are maflved, to pre* 
vent their particular attachments and connexions 
from being known ; the moment the eleftion is 
over, every thing returns again to its former channel. 

The land force of Malta is equal to the number 

of men in the ifland fit to bear arms. They have 

about 500 regulars belonging to the ftiips of war ; 

and 1 50 compofe the guard of the prince. The two " 

iflands of Malta and Gozzo contain about 150,000 

inhabitants. The men are exceeding robuft and 

hardy 

5 



SICILY AND MALTA. ^93 

hardy. I have feen them row for ten or twelve 
hours without intermiflion, and without even appear.-^ 
ing to be fatigued. 

Their fea force confifts of four galleys, three gal- 
liots, four (hips of fixty guns, and a frigate of thirty- 
lix, befides a number of the quick-failing little vefTels 
called Scampavias (literally Runaways). Their fiiips, 
galleys, and fortifications, are not only well fupplied 
with excellent artillery, but they have likewife in- 
vented a kind of ordnance of their ov/n, unknown 
to all the world befides. For we found, to our no 
fmall amazement, that the rocks were not only cut 
into fortifications, but likewife into artillery to de- 
fend thefe fortifications, being hollowed out in many 
places into the form of immenfe mortars. The 
charge is faid to be about a barrel of gunpowder, 
over which they place a large piece of wood, made 
exactly to fit the mouth of the chamber. On this 
they heap a great quantity of cannon balls, fliells, or 
other deadly materials ; and v/hen an enemy's Ihip ap-. 
proaches the harbour, they fire the v/hole into the 
air ; and they pr^end it produces a very great eife^l:, 
/making a fhower for two or three hundred yards 
round that would fink any veffel. 

. Notwlthftanding the fuppofed bigotry of the Mal- 
tefe, the fpirit of toleration is fo ftrong, that a mofque 
has lately been built for their fworn enemies the 
Turks. Here the poor flaves are allowed to enjoy 
their religion in peace. It happened lately that fome 
idle boys difiurbed them during their fervice ; the^ 
were immediately fent to prifon, and feverely punifli- 
ed. The police indeed is much better regulated 
than in the neighbouring countries, and aifaffinations 

and 



194 



A TOUR THROUGH 



and robberies are very uncommon ; the lad of which 
crimes the grand mafler punilhes v/ith the utmoft 
feverity. But he is faid, perhaps in compliance with 
"the prejudice of his nation, to be much more relax 
with regard to the iirft. 

Perhaps Malta is the only country in the world 
where duelling is permitted by law — As their whole 
eftablifhment is originally founded on the wild and 
romantic principles of chivalry, they have ever found 
it too inconfiftent with thofe principles to abolifli 
duelling ; but they have laid it under fuch reftriflions 
as greatly to lefTen its danger. Thefe are curious 
enough.^ — ^The duellifls are obliged to decide their 
quarrel in one particulair ftreet of the city ; and if 
they prefume to fight any where elfe, they are liable 
to the rigour of the law. But what is not lefs fm. 
gular, and much more in their favour, they are 
obliged under the mofl fevere penalties to put up their 
fword, when ordered fo to do by a woman^ a -^rieji^ 
Qi* a knight. 

Under thefe limitations, in the midR of a great 
city, one would imagine it almoU impoffible that 
a duel could ever end in blood \ however, this is 
not the cafe : — A crofs is always painted on the 
wail oppofite to the fpot where a knight has been 
killed, in commemoration of his fall — -We counted 
about twenty of thefe croiTes. 

About three m.onths ago, two knights had a dif* 
pute at a billiard table. — One of them after giving a 
great deal of abufive language, added a blow ; but 
to the aftonifliment of all Malta (in whofe annals 
there is not a fimilar inflance) after fo great a provo- 
catioBj he abfolutely refuied to fight his antagoniO:.— 

The 



SICILY AND MALTA* "ip5 

The challenge was repeated, and he had time to re- 
' fledt on the confequences, but flill he refufed to 
enter the hfts. - He was condemned to make amende 
honorabk'm th^ great church of St. John for forty-five 
days fucceflively ; then to be confined in a dungeon 
without light for five yearsj after which he is to re- 
main a prifoner in the caftle for life. The unfor- 
tunate young man who received the blow is likewife 
in difgrace, as he has not had an opportunity of wiping 
it out in the blood of his adverfary. 

This has been looked upon as a very fmgular affair, 
,ahd is Hill one of the principal topics of converfation. 
The firll part of the fentence has already been execu- 
ted^ and tne poor v/retch is now in his dungeon. 
Nor is it thought, that any abatement will be made 
in what remains. 

If the legiflature in other countries punifhed with 
equal rigour thofe that do fight, as is does in this 
thofe that do not ; I believe we fhould foon have an 
end of duelling : But I fhould imagine the punilh- 
ment for fighting ought never to be a capital one^ 
(but rather fomething ignominious ;) and the punifh- 
ment for not fighting fhould always be fo, or at 
leaft fome fevere corporal punifiiment ; for ignominy 
will have as little effe£t on the perfon who is willing 
to fubmit to the appellation of a coward, as the 
fear of death on one who makes it his glory to 
defpife it. 

The Maltefe flill talk with horror of a florm that 
happened here on the 29th of October 1757, of 
which, as it was of a very fmgular nature, I fhall 
tranllate you fome account from a Httle book they 
have given me, written on that fubje(5l. 

O ^ About 



ig6 A TC3fUR TH^^OUGH 

About three quarters of an hour after midnight^ 
there appeared to the fouth-weft of the city a great 
black cloud, which, as it approached, changed its 
colour, till at lad it became like a flame of fire 
mixed with black fmoke* A dreadful noife was 
heard on its approach, that alarmed the whole city* 
It palTed over part of the port, and came firft upon 
an Englifli fhip, which in an inftant was torn to 
pieces, and nothing left but the hulk ; part of the 
mails, fails, and cordage were carried along with 
the cloud to a confiderable diflancer The fmalf boats 
and fellouques that fell in its way were all broken to 
pieceSj and funk. ITie noife increafed and became 
more frightful. A fentinel, terrified at its approach j 
run into his box : Both he and it were lifted up 
and carried into the fea, where beperiilied. It then 
traverfed a confiderable part of the city, and laid in 
ruins almoft every thing that flood in its way. Several 
houfes were laid level with the ground, and it did 
not leave one fteeple in its paiTage. The bells of 
fome of them, together with the fpires, were carried 
to a confiderable diftance. The roofs of the churches 
were demolifned, and beat down, which, if it had 
happened in the day-time, mufl have had dreadful 
confequences, as all the world would immediately 
have run to the churches. 

It went off at the north- eafl point of the city ; and 
demolilhing the light-houfe, is faid to have mounted 
ap into the air, with a frightful noife ; and paffed 
over the fea to Sicily, where it tore up fome trees^ 
and did other damage, but nothing confiderable ; as 
its fury had been moflly fpent upon Malta. The 
number of killed and wounded amounted to near 



SICILY AND MALTA. l^J 

^oo ; and the lofs of fhipping, houfes, and vchurches, 
was very confiderable. 

Several treatifes have been written to account for 
this fmgular hurricane, but I have found nothing at 
all fatisfadory. The fentiments of the people are 
concife and pofitive. They de<:lare, with one voice, 
that it was a legion of -devils let loofe to punifh 
them for their fins.. There are a thoufand people in 
Malta that will take their oath they faw them within 
the cloud, all as black as pitch, and breathing out 
fire and brimftone. They add, that if there had not 
been a few godly people amongil them, their whole 
city would certainly have been involved in one uni- 
verfal defl:ru6lion. 

The horfe races of Malta are of a very uncommon 
kind. They are performed without either faddle, 
bridle, whip, or fpur ; and yet the horfes are faid to 
run full fpeed, and to aflbrd a great deal of diverfion. 
They are accuftomed to the ground for fome weeks 
before ; and although it is entirely over rock and 
pavement, there are very feldom any accidents. 
They have races of alTes and mules performed in 
the fame manner, four tim.es very year. The rider is 
only furnifhed with a m.achine like a fhoemaker's av:l 
to prick on his courier if he is lazy. 

As Malta is an epitome of all Europe, and an 
affemblage of the younger brothers, who are com- 
monly thjs bed, of its firft families, it is probably one 
of the bell academies for politenefs in this p.irt of 
the globe ; befides, where every one is entitled by 
law as well as cuftom, to demand fatisfadion for the 
leaft breach of it, people are under a neceffity of 
teing very exa6l and circumfped, both with regard 
to their words and actions. 

O .3^ All 



A TOUR THROUGH 



All the knights and commanders have much the 
appearance of gentlemen, and men of the world. 
We met with no charader in extreme. The r'ldu 
cules and prejudices of every particular nation, are 
by degrees foftened and wore off, hy the familiar 
intercourfe and collifion with each other. It is curi- 
ous to obferve the affeO: it produces upon the various 
people that compofe this little medley. The French 
fkip5 the German ftrut, and the Spanifh ftalk, are all 
mingled together in fuch fm.all proportions, that 
none of them are ftriking ; yet every one of thefe 
naticDns flill retain fomething of their original cha- 
ra£i:enilic : It is only the exuberance of it that is 
wore off; and it is fiill eafy to diftinguifh the in-^ 
habitants of the fouth and north fide of the Pyrenees, 
as well as thofe of the eafl and well fide of the 
Rhine : for though the Pariiian has, in a great mea- 
fure, loll his affuming air, the Spaniard his taciturnity 
and folemnity, the German his formahty and his 
pride ; yet ftiil you fee the German, the Frenchman, 
and the Spaniard : It is only the caricature, that for- 
merly made them ridiculous, that has difappeared. 

This inffitution, which is a ftrange compound of 
the military and ecclefiaftic, has now fubfifted for 
near feven hundred years ; and though, I believe^ 
one of the hrft-born, has long furvived every other 
child of chivalry. It poffeffes great riches in moft 
of the catholic countries of Europe ; and did fo in 
England too, before the time of Henry VIIL but 
that capricious tyrant did not chufe that any inllitu- 
tion, however ancient or refpeded, fliould remair^ 
in his dominions, that had any doubt of his fupremacy 
and infallit/ility ; he therefore feized on all their pof- 

feffions^ 



SICILY AND MALTA. I99 

felons, at the fame time that he enriched himfelf by 
the plunder of the church. It was in vain for them 
to plead that they were rather a raihtary than an eccle- 
fiaftic order, and by their valour had been of great fer- 
vice to Europe, in their wars againft the infidels : It . 
was not agreeable to his fyftem ever to hear a reafon 
for any thing ; and no perfon could pofFibly be right, 
that was capable of fuppofing that the king could be 
wrong. 

Malta, as well as Sicily, was long under the tyranny 
of the Saracens ; from which they were both delivered 
abdut the middle of the eleventh century, by the va- 
lour of the Normans ; After which time, the fate of 
Malta commonly depended on that of Sicily, till the_ 
emperor Charles V. about the year 1530, gave it, to- 
gether with the iiland of Gozzo, to the knights of St. 
John of Jerufalem, who at that time had loil the iHand 
of Rhodes. In teftimony of this concefTion, the 
grand mafter is ftill obliged, every year to fend a faL 
con to the king of Sicily, or his viceroy ; and on every 
new fucceffion, to fwear allegiance, and to receive, 
from the hands of the Sicilian monarch, the invefti- 
ture of thefe two ifiands. 

, Ever fmce our arrival here, the weather has been 
perfedly clear and ferene, without a cloud in thefl^y j 
and . for fome time after fun-fet, the heavens exhibit a 
moil beautiful appearance, which I don't recoiieft to 
have obferved any where elfe. The eaftern part of 
the hemifphere appears of a rich deep purple, and the 
v/eilern is the true yellov/ glow of Cloud Lorrain^ 
that you ufed to admire fo much. The weather, 
however, is not intolerably hot ; the thermometer 
(lands commonly betvvixt 75 and 76. Adieu. We 

O 4 are 



200 A TOUR THROUGH 

are now preparing for a long voyage, and it is not 
eafy to fay from whence I iliall write you next* 

Ever yoursc 



LETTER XVIL 

Agrlgentum, June iith. ^ 
*^^^E left the port of Malta in a fparonaro which 
we hired to convey us to this city. 

We coafted along the ifland, and went to take a 
\iew of the north-port, its fortifications and lazaretto^ 
All thefe are very great, and more like the works of 
a mighty and powerful people, than of fo fmall a 
flate. The mortars cut out of the rock are a tre- 
mendous invention. There are about fifty of them, 
near the different creeks and landing-places round 
the illand. They are direded at the- mofl probable 
fpots where boats would attempt a landing. The 
mouths of fome of thefe mortars are about fix feet 
wide, and they are faid to throw a hundred cantars^ 
of cannon-ball or ftones. A cantar is, I think, about 
a hundred pound weight ; fo that if they do take; 
place, they muft make a dreadful havock amgngfl a 
debarkation of boats. 

The diftance of Malta from Gozzo is not above 
four or five miles, and the fmall illand of Commino 
lies betwixt them. The coafls of all the three are 
bare and barren, but covered over Vv^th towers^ re- 
doubts, and fortifications of various kinds. 

As 



SPICILY AND MALTA. 



20 r 



As Gozzo is fuppofed to be the celebrated ifland 
pf Calypfo, you may believe v/e expelled fomething 
very fine ; but we were difappointed. It muil either 
be greatly fallen off fmce the time flie inhabited it, 
or the archbifliop of , Cambray, as well as Homer, 
mud have flattered greatly in their painting. We 
looked, as we went along the coaft, for the grotto 
of the goddefs, but could fee nothing that refem-. 
bled it. Neither could we obferve thofe verdant 
banks eternally covered with flowers ; nor thofe lofty 
trees for ever in bloiTom, that loft their heads in the 
clouds, and afforded a fhade to the facred baths of 
her and her nymphs. We faw, indeed, fome nymphs y 
but as neither Calypfo nor Eucharis feemed to be of 
the number, we paid little attention to them, and I 
was in no apprehenfion about my Telemachus : In- 
deed, it would have required an imagination as 
ftrong as Don Quixote's, to have brought about the 
metamorphofis. 

Finding our hopes fruftrated, we ordered our 
failors to pull out to fea, and bid adieu to the ifland 
of Calypfo, concluding, either that our intelligence 
was falfe, or that both the ifland and its inhabitants 
were greatly changed. We foon found ourfelves 
once more at the mercy of the waves : Night came 
on, and our rowers began their evening fong to the 
Virgin, and beat time with their oars. Their offer- 
ing was acceptable ; for we had the moft delightful 
weather. We wrapt ourfelves up in our cloaks, and 
ilept moft comfortably, having provided mattraffes at 
Malta. By a Httle after day-break, we found we ha^ 
got without fight of all the iflands, and faw only a 
part of mount ^tna finoking above the waters. The 

wind 



202 



A TOUR THROUGH 



nmd fprung up fair, and by ten o'clock we had 
fight of the coaft of Sicily. 

On confidering the fmallnefs of our boat, and the 
great breadth of this palfage^ we could not help ad- 
miring the temerity of thefe people, who, at all fea- 
ions of the year, venture to Sicily in thefe diminu- 
tive veifels ; yet it is very feldom that any accident 
happens ; they are fo perfectly acquainted with the 
weather, foretelling, almoft. to a certainty, every 
ilorm, many hours before it comes on. The faiiors 
look upon this paffage as one of the moil flormy 
and dangerous in the Mediterranean. It is called the 
€ana} of Malta, and is much dreaded by the Le- 
vant fliips; but indeed, at this feafon there is no 
clanger. 

We arrived at Sicily a little before fun-fet, and 
ianded oppofite to Ragufa, and not far from the 
ruins of the little Hybla ; the third town of that 
name in the ifland, diftinguilhed by the epithets of 
the Great (near mount ^tna), the LelTer (near Au- 
gufta), and the Little (juft by Ragufa). Here we 
found a fine fandy beach, and whilil the fervants 
were employed in dreiEng fupper, we amqfed our-, 
felves with bathing and gathering fliells, of which 
there is a confiderabie variety. We were in expecta- 
tion of finding the nautilus, for which this ifland is 
famous ; but in this we did not fucceed. However, 
we picked up fome handfome fliells, though not 
equal to thofe that are brought from the Indies. 

After fupper, we again launched our bark, and 
went to fea. The wind w^as favourable as we could 
wifh. We had our nightly ferenade as ufual, and 

the 



SICILY AND MALTA. SOJ 

the next day, by twelve o'clock, we reached the 
celebrated port of Agrigentum. 

The captain of the port gave us a polite reception, 
and infilled on accompanying us to the city, which 
(lands near the top of a mountain, four miles diflant 
from the harbour, and about eleven hundred feet 
above the level of the fea. The road on each fide 
is bordered by a row of exceeding large American 
aloes : upwards of one third of them being at prefent 
in full blow, and making the mod beautiful appear- 
ance that can be imagined. The flower-fiems of this 
noble plant are in general betwixt twenty and thirty 
feet high, (iome of them more) and are covered 
with fiOwers from top to bottom ; which taper 
regularly, 'and form a beautifid kind of pyramid, 
the bale or pedeflal of which is the fine fpreading 
leaves of the plant. As this is elleemed, in northern 
countries, one of the greateft curiofities of the vege- 
table tribe, w^e were happy at feeing it in fo great 
perfection ; much greater, I think, than I had ever 
feen it before. 

With us, I think, it is vulgarly reckoned, (though 
I believe falfely) that they only flower once in a 
hundred years. Here I was informed, thc t, at the 
iated, they always blow the fixth year ; but for the 
mofl: part the fifth. — As the whole fubflance of the 
plant is carried into the Hem and the flowers, the 
leaves begin to decay as foon as the blow is com- 
pleted, and a numerous offspring of young plants 
are produced round the root of the old one ; thefe, 
are flip'd off, and formed into new plantations, 
either for hedges or for avenues to their country- 
Jioufes. 

The 



A TOUR THROUGH 



The city of Agrigentum, now called Girgent!, is 
irregular and ugly; though from a few miles dif-^ 
tance at fea, it makes a noble appearance, little 
inferior to that of Genoa. — As it lies on the ilope of 
the mountain, the houfes do not hide one another ; 
but every part of the city is feen. 

On our arrival, we found a great falling off in- 
deed; the houfes are mean, the ftreets dirty, crooked^ 
and narrow. — It flill contains near twenty thoufand 
people f a fad reduction from its ancient grandeur^ 
when it was faid to confiil of no lefs than eight 
hundred thoufand^ being the next city to Syracufe 
for numbers. 

The Canonico Spoto, from Mr. Hamilton's let- 
ter, and from our former acquaintance with him at 
Naples, gave us a kind and a hofpitable reception. 
He infifted on our being his guefts ; and we are now 
in his houfe, comfortably lodged, and elegantly en- 
tertained, which, after our crowded little apartment 
in the fparonaro, is by no means a difagreeable change,. 
—Farewell. I fliall wrjtq you again foon. 

Ever yours. 



LETTER XVJIL 

Agrlgentum, June T2th. 
"^J^^ E are juil: now: returned_ from examining the 
antiquities of Agrigentum, the mod confide- 
rable, perhaps^ of any in Sicily^ 

The 



SICILY AND MALTAo 205 

The ruins of the ancient city lie about a fhort mile 
from the modern one. Thefe, like the ruins of 
Syracufe, are moftly converted into corn-fields, vine- 
yards, and orchards ; but the remains of the temples 
here, are much more confpicuous than thofe of Sy- 
racufe. Four of thefe have flood pretty much in a 
right line, near the fouth wall of the city. The firfl 
they call the temple of Venus ; almofl one half of 
which fliil remains.. The fecond is that of Con- 
cord : It may be confidered as entire, not one 
column having as yet fallen. It is precifely of the 
fame dimenfions and fame archite£lure as that of 
Venus, which had probably ferved as the model for 
h. By the following infcription, found on a large 
piece of marble, it appears to have been built at the 
expence of the Lilibitani ; probably after having been 
defeated by the people of Agrigentum. 

CONCORDIA AGRIGENTINORUM SACRUM, 
RESPUBLICA LILIBITANORUM, 
BEDICANTIBUS M. ATTERIO CWNDIDO 
PROCOS. ET L. CORNELIO MAR- 
CELLO. Q_ P. R. P. R. 

' Thefe temples are fupported by thirteen large fluted 
Doric columns on each fide ; and fix at each end. 
All their bafes, capitals, entablatures, &c. flill remain 
entire ; and as the architedure is perfectly fimple, 
without any thing affeded or ftudied, the whole flrikes 
the eye at once, and pleafes very much. The columns 
are, indeed, fliorter than the common Doric propor- 
tions ; and they certainly are not fo elegant as fome of 
the ancient temples near Rome, and in other places 
in Italy. 



2oS A TOUR I'HROUGn 

The third temple is that of HercuIeSj altogether M 
ruins ; but appears to have been of a much greater 
fize than the former two. We meafured fome of the 
broken columns, near feven feet in diameten It was 
here that the famous ftatue of Hercules ftood, fo 
much celebrated by Cicero ; which the people of Agri- 
gentum defended with fuch bravery, againli Verres, 
who attempted to feize it. You will find the whole 
itory in his pleadings againfi; that infamous praetor. 

There was hkewiie in this temple a famous picture 
by Zeuxis. Here ales was reprefented in his cradle 
killing the two ferpents : Alcmena and Amphitrion 
having juft entered the apartment, were painted with 
every mark of terror and aflonifhment. Pliny fays* 
the painter looked upon this piece as invaluable ; and 
therefore could never be prevailed on to put a price 
upon it, but gave it as a prefent, to Agrigentum, to be 
placed in the temple of Hercules. Thefe two great 
mailer pieces have been loft. We thought of them 
with regret, whilft we trod on thefe venerable ruins^ 
Near to this lie ruins of the temple of Jupiter Olym- 
pus, fuppofed by the Sicilian authors to have been the 
largeft in the heathen world. It is now called il tempio 
de* gigantic or the Giants Temple, as the people can- 
not conceive that fuch malTes of rock could ever be 
put together by the hands of ordinary men. The frag- 
ments of columns are indeed enormous, and give us a 
vaft idea of this fabric. It is faid to have ftood till the 
year i loo ; but is now a perfed ruin. Our Cicerones 
aiTured us, it was exadly the fame dimenfions with the 
church of St. Peter at Rome : But in this they are 
egregioufly miftaken,— -St. Peter's being much great- 
ter than any thing that ever the heathen world pro- 
duced. 

There 



SICILY AKD -MALTA. io*J 

There are the remains of many more temples, and 
other great works ; but thefe, I think, are the moll 
confpicuous. They lliew you that of Vulcan, of Pro- 
ferpine, of Caftor and Pollux, and a very remarkable 
one of Juno. This too was enriched by one of the 
mod famous pictures of antiquity ^ which is celebrated 
by many of the ancient writers.— Zeuxis v>^as deter- 
mined to excel every thing that had gone before him, 
and to form, a m.odel of hum.an perfedion. To this- 
end, he prevailed on all the fined women of Agrigen- 
tum, who were even ambitious of the honour, to 
appear naked before him. Of thefe he chofe five for 
his models, and moulding ail the perfeclions of thefe 
beauties into one, he compofed the pidure of the 
goddefs. This was ever looked upon as his mafter- 
piece ; but was unfortunately burnt when the Cartha- 
ginians took Agrigentum. — Many of the citizens re- 
tired into this temple as to a place of fafety 5 but as^ 
foon as they found the gates attacked by the enemy, 
they agreed to fet fire to it, and chofe rather to perilh 
in the flames, than fubmit to the power of the conquer- 
ors. However, neither the deflruclion of the temple, 
nor the lofs of their lives, has been fo much regret- 
ted by poflerity, as the lofs of this pidure. 

The temple of JEfculapius {the ruins of which ai'e 
{lill to be feen) was not lefs celebrated for a flatue 
of Apollo. It vv^as taken from them by the Carthagi- 
nians, at the fame time that the temple of Juno was 
burnt. It was carried off by the conquerors, and con- 
tinued the greatefl ornament of Carthage for many 
years, and was at lad redored by Scipio, at the final 
dedrudion of that city. Some of the Sicilians allege, 
I believe without anv eround, that it was afterwards 

carried 



268 



A TOUH THROUGH 



carried to fi.ome, and ftill remains there, the ^ wonder 
of all ages ; known to the whole world under the name 
of the Apollo of Belvidere ; and allowed to be the 
perfection of human art. 

I (hould be very tedious, were I to give you a 
minute defcription of every piece of antiquity. Indeed, 
little or nothing is to be learned from the greatefl part 
of them. The ancient walls of the city are moftly cut 
out of the rock ; the catacombs and fepulchres are all 
very great : One of thefe is worthy particular notice^ 
becaufe it is mentioned by Polybius, as being oppofite 
to the temple of HerculeSj and to have been fiiruck by 
lightning even in his time* It remains almoft entirej 
and anfwers the defcription he gives of it : The in» 
fcriptions are fo defaced, that we could make nothing 
of them. 

This is the monument of Tero king of Agrigen- 
tumj one of the firft of the Sicilian tyrants. The great 
antiquity of it may be gathered from this, that Tero 
is not only mentioned by Diodorus, Polybius, and the 
later of the ancient hiilorians ; but likewife by Hero- 
dotus, and Pindar, who dedicates two of his Olympic 
odes to him : So that this monument mufl be more 
than two thoufand years old. It is a kind of pyramid^ 
probably one of the moft durable forms. 

All thefe mighty ruins of Agrigentum, and the 
whole mountain on which it ftands, are compofed of 
a concretion of fea-fliells, run together, and cemented 
by a kind of fand or gravel, and now become as hard^ 
and perhaps more durable than even marble itfelf. 
This Hone is white before it has been expofed to the 
air ; but in the temples and other ruins, it is become 
of a dark brown. I fliall bring home fome pieces of 



meiLY AND MALTA. 209 

it for the infpedtioh of the curious* I found thefe fhells 
on the very fummit of the mountain, at leaft fourteen 
or fifteen hundred feet above the level of th6 fea. They 
are of the eommoneft kinds^ cockles^ mulTels, oyfters^ 

*' The things we know are neither rich nor rare ; 
" But wonder how the devil they got there." 

Pope. 

By what means they have been lifted up to this 
vaft height, and fo intimately mixed with the fub* 
ftance of the rock, I leave to you and your philofophi- 
cal friends to determine* — This old battered globe of 
ours, has probably fuffered many convulfions not re- 
corded in any hiftory. — You have heard of the vaft 
ftratum of bones lately difcovered in Iftria and Oflero ; 
—part of it runs below rocks of marble, upwards cf 
forty feet in thicknefs, and they have not yet been 
able to afcertain its extent : Something of the fame 
kind has been found in Dalmatia, in the iflands of the 
Archipelago ; and lately, I am told, in the rock of 
Gibraltar. — Now, the deluge recorded in Scripture, 
will hardly account for all the appearances of this fort 
to be met with, almoft in every country in the world, 
— But I am interrupted by vihtors ; — which is a lucky 
circumftance, both for you and me ; for I was juft go- 
ing to be very philofpphical, and confequently very 
dull. Adieu. 



P 



tie 



A TOUR THROUGIl 



LETTER XIX, 

Agrigentum, June I3tli.*' 
'JpHE interruption in my laft, was a deputation 
from the bifliop, to invite us to a great dinner to- 
morrow at the port ; fo that we fhall know whether 
this place ftill deferves the charader of luxury, it al- 
ways held amongft the ancients : We have great rea- 
fon to think, from the politenefs and attention, we 
have met with, that it has never loft its ancient hof- 
pitality, for which it was likewife fo much celebra- 
ted. 

Plato, when he vifited Sicily, was fo much ftruck 
with the luxury of Agrigentum, both in their houfes 
and their tables, that a faying of his is ftill recorded : 
That they built as if they v/ere never to die, and eat 
as if they had not an hour to live. It is preferved by 
iElian, and is juft now before me. 

He tells a ftory by way of illuftration, which fhews 
a much greater conformity of manners, than one 
could have expeded, betwixt the young nobility 
amongft the ancients, and our own at this day. 

He fays, that after a great feaft, where there was a 
number of young people of the firft fafhion, they got 
all fo much intoxicated, that from their reeling and 
tumbling upon one another, they imagined they were 
at fea, in a ftorm,. and began to think themfelves in 
the mo ft imminent danger : at laft they agreed, that 
the only way to fave their lives was to lighten the 
fhip, and with one accord began to throw the rich 
furniture out of the windows, to the great edifi- 
cation of the mob below j and did not ftop till 



SICILY AND MALTA* 



21! 



they had entirely cleared the houfe of it, which, from 
this exploit, was ever after denominated the triremes^ 
or the fhip. He fays it was one of the principal pala- 
ces of the city, and retained this name for ever after. 
In Dublin, I have been told, there are more than' one 
triremes ; and that this frolic, which they call throwing 
the houfe out of the window, is by no means uncom* 
mon. 

At the fame time that Agrigentum is abufed by the 
ancient authors for its drunkennefs, it fs as much ce- 
lebrated for its hofpitality ; and I believe, it will be 
found, that this virtue, and this vice, have ever had a 
fort of fneaking kindnefs for each other, and have 
generally gone hand in hand, both in ancient and in 
modern times. The Swifs, the Scots, and the Irifh, 
who are at prefent the mofl: drunken people in Europe, 
are likewife, in all probability, the moft hofpitable ; 
whereas in the very fober countries, Spain, Portugal^, 
and Italy, hofpitality is a virtue very little known, or 
s indeed any other virtue, except fobriety ; which has 
been produced, probably a good deal from the tyranny 
of their government, and their dread of the inqui- 
fition ; for where every perfon is in fear, left his real 
fentiments fliould appear, it would be very dangerous 
to unlock his heart ; but in countries where there are 
neither civil nor ecclefiaftical tyrants to lay an em- 
bargo on our thoughts, people are under no appre" 
henfion left they fhould be known. 

However, thefe are not the only reafons. The 
moral virtues and vices may fometimes depend on, 
natural caufes, — The very elevated fituation of this city^ 
where the air is exceedingly thin and cold, has per- 
haps been one reafon why its inhabitants are fonder 
of wine than their neighbours in the vallevs. 

P2 ' The 



11^ A TOUR THROUGH 

The fame may be faid of the three nations I have 
mentioned ; the greateft part of their countries lying 
amongft hills and mountains, where the climate 
renders ftrong liquors more neceffary ; or, at lead, lefs 
pernicious, than in low places. — It is not furprifmg, 
that this pra^ice, probably begun amongft the 
mountains, were the air is fo keen, has by degrees 
crept down into the valleys, and has at laft become al- 
moft epidemical in thofe countries. 

Fazzello, after railing at Agrigentum for its 
drunkennefs, adds, that there was no town in the 
ifland fo celebrated for its hofpitality. He fays that 
many of the nobles had fervants placed at the gates 
of the city, to invite all ftrangers to their houfes. 
It is in reference to this probably, that Empedocles 
fays, that even the gates of the city proclaimed a wel« 
come to every ftranger. From our experience we 
are well entitled to fay, that the people of Agrigen- 
tum ftill retain this antiquated virtue, fo little known 
in polite countries. To-morrow we fhall have a bet- 
ter opportunity of judging whether it is ftill accom* 
panied by its fifter vice. 

The accounts that the old authors give of the 
magnificence of Agrigentum are amazing ; though 
indeed there are none of them that proclaim it in 
ftronger terms then the monuments that ftill remain. 
— Diodorus fays, the great vefTels for holding 
water were commonly of filver, and the litters and 
carriages for the moft part were of ivory richly adorned. 
He mentions a pond made at an immenfe expence, full 
of fifh and of water-fowl, that in his time was the great 
refort of the inhabitants, on their feftivals ; but he fays 
that even then (in the age of Auguftus) it was 

going 



SICILY AND MALTA. 21^ 

going to ruin, requiring too great an expence to keep 
it up. There is not now the fmalleft veftige of it : 
But there is ftill to be feen a curious fpring of water 
that throws up a kind of oil on its furface, which is 
made ufe of by the poor people in many difeafes. 
This is fuppofed to mark out the place of the cele- 
brated pond; which is recorded by Pliny and Solinus^ 
to have abounded with this oil. 

Diodorus, fpeaking of the riches of Agrigentum, 
mentions one of citizens returning vidlorious from the 
Olympic games, and entering his city, attended by 
three hundred chariots, each drawn by four white 
horfes, richly caparifoned ; and gives many other in- 
ftances of their vaft profufion and luxury. 

Thofe horfes, according to that author, were efteem- 
ed all over Greece, for their beauty and fwiftnefs ; 
and their race is celebrated by many of the ancient 
writers. 

** Arduus inde Agragas oftentat maxima longe 

** Moenia, magnanimum quondam generator equoram,*' 

fays Virgil in the third ^neid ; and Pliny acquaints 
us, that thofe which had been often vidtorious at the 
games were not only honoured with burial rites, but 
had magnificent monuments erected to eternize their 
memory. This Timeus confirms : He tells us, that 
he faw at Agrigentum feveral pyramids built as fe- 
pulchral monuments to celebrated horfes ; he adds 
that when thofe animals became old and unfit for 
fervice, they were always taken care of, and fpent 
the remainder of their lives in eafe and plenty. — I 
could wifh that our countrymen would imitate the 
gratitude and humanity of the Sicilians in this article ; 

P 3 at 



A TOUR THROUGH 



at leaft, the latter part of it. I don't know that our 
nation can fo juftly be taxed with cruelty, or in- 
gratitude in any other article as in their treatment of 
horfes, the animal that of all others is the mod en^ 
titled to our care. How piteous a thing it is, on many 
of your great roads, to fee the fineft old hunters, that 
were once the glory of the chace, condemned, in 
the decline of life, to the tyranny of the moft cruel 
opprelfors ; in whofe hands they fujfer the moft ex* 
treme mifery, till they at laft fmk under the talk that 
is alligned them, I am called away to fee fome more 
antiques, but fliall finifti this letter to night, as the 
poft goes off for Italy to-morrow morning, 

1 3th ; Afternoon. We have feen a great many 
old walls and vaults that little or nothing can be 
made of. They give them names, and pretend to tell 
you what they were, but as they bear no refemblance 
to thofe things now ; it would be no lefs idle to trouble 
you with their nonfenfe than to believe it. We have 
indeed feen one thing that has amply repaid us for 
the trouble we have taken. It is the reprefentation 
of a boar-hunting, in alto relievo, on white marble 5 
and is at ieaft equal, if not fuperior, to any thing of 
the kind I have met with] in Italy. It confifts of 
four different parts, which form the hiftory of this 
remarkable chace and its confequences. 

The firft is the preparation for the hunt. There 
are twelve hunters, with each his lance, and a fhort 
hanger under his left arm. of a very fmgular form. 
The dogs refemble thofe we ca}i lurchers. The hor- 
fes are done with great Me and fpirit, and are perhaps 
a better proof of the excellence of the race, than even 
the teftimony of their authors j for the artift that 

formed 



SICILY AND MALTA. 



formed thefe muft certainly have been accuftomed 
to fee very fine horfes. 

The fecond piece reprefents the chace. — The third 
the death of the king, by a fall from his horfe. — And 
the fourth, the defpair of the queen and her attend- 
ants, on receiving the news. She is reprefented as 
falling down in a fwoon, and fupported by her women, 
who are all in tears. 

It is executed in the mod mafterly ftyle, and is in- 
deed one of the fineft remains of antiquity. It is pre- 
ferved in the great church, which is noted through all 
Sicily for a remarkable echo ; fomething in the man- 
ner of our whifpering gallery at St Paul's, though 
more difficult to be accounted for. 

If one perfon flands at the wefl-gate, and another 
places himfelf on the cornice, at the mofl diflant 
point of the church, exadly behind the great altar, 
they can hold a converfation in very low whifpers. 

For many years this fmgularity was little knowa; 
and feveral of the confefling chairs being placed near 
the great altar, the wags, who were in the fecret, 
ufed to take their flation at the door of the cathe- 
dral ; and by this means heard diltindly every 
word that palTed betwixt the confefTor and his peni- 
tent ; of which, you may believe, they did not fail 
to make their own ufe when occafion offered.— 
The mofl fecret intrigues were difcovered ; and 
every woman in Agrigentum changed either her 
gallant or her confefTor. Yet flill it was the fame. — 
At lafl, however, the caufe was found out ; the chairs 
were removed, and other precautions were taken, to 
prevent the difcovery of thefe facred myfleries ; and a 
mutual amneflypalTed amongfl all the offended parties, 

P 4 Agrigentum s 



si6 



A TOUR THROUGH 



Agrisentum, like Syraciife, was long fubjed to 
the yoke of tyrants. Fazzello gives fome account of 
their cruelty, but I have no intention of repeating it i 
One ftory, however, pleafed me ; it is a well known 
one, but as it is fliort, you fhall have it. 

Perillo, a goldfmith, by way of paying court to Phar 
laris the tyrant, made him a prefent of a bra25enbuli5 
of admirable workmanfhip ; hollow within, and fo con- 
trived that the voice of a perfon fhut up in it, founded 
exadly like the bellowing of a real bull. The artift 
pointed out to the tyrant what an admirable efFe£fe - 
this muft produce, where he only to {hut up a few 
criminals in it, and make a fire under them. 

Phalaris, ft ruck with fo horrid an idea, and perhaps 
curious to try the experiment, told the goldfmith that 
he himfelf was the only perfon worthy of animating 
his bull : that he muft have ftudied the note that made 
it roar to the greateft advantage, and that it would 
be unjuft to deprive him of any part of the honour 
of his invention. Upon which he ordered the gold- 
fmith to be fhut up, and made a great fire around the 
bull ; which immediately began to roar, to the ad- 
miration and delight of all Agrigentum. Cicero fays, 
this bull was carried to Carthage at the taking of 
Agrigentum ; and was reftored again by Scipio, after 
the deftru£lion of that city. 

Fazzello adds another ftory, which is ftill more to 
the honour of Phalaris. Two friends, Melanippus 
and Cariton, had confpired his death. Cariton, in 
hopes of faving his friend from the danger of the 
enterprife, determined to execute it alone. However, 
in his attempt to poignard the tyrant, l\e was fe;T 
zed by the guards^ and immediately put to the tor- 

ture^ 



SICILY AND MALTA* 217 

ture, to make him confefs his accomplice : this he 
bore with the utmofl fortitude, refufing to make the 
difcovery ; 'till Melanippus, informed of the fituation 
of his friend, ran to the tyrant, alTuring him that he 
alone was the guilty perfon ; that it was entirely by 
his inftigation that Cariton had aded ; and begged 
that he might be put on the rack in the place of his 
friend. Phalaris, flruck with fuch heroifm, pardoned 
them both, 

Notwithftanding this generous a£lion, he was m 
many refpe£ts a barbarous tyrant. Fazzello gives the 
following account of his death, with which I lhali 
conclude this letter, for 1 am monflroufly tired, and, I 
dare fay, fo are you. Zeno, the philofopher, came to 
J\.grigentum, and being admitted into the prefence of 
the tyrant, advifed him, for his own comfort, as well 
as that of his fubjeds, to refign his power, and tQ 
lead a private life. Phalaris did not relifli thefe philo- 
fophical fentiments ; and fufpeding Zeno to be in a 
confpiracy with fome of his fubjeds, ordered him to 
be put to the torture in prefence of the citizens of 
^grigentum. 

Zeno immediately began to reproach them with 
cowardice and pufillanimity in fubmitting tamely to 
the yoke of fo worthlefs a tyrant ; and in a fhort time 
raifed fuch a flame, that they defeated the guards, 
and ftoned Phalaris to death. — I dare fay you are 
glad they did it fo quickly, — Well I fhall not write 
fuch long letters for the future ; for I aflure you it is 
^s leaft as troublefome to the writer as the reader* 
Adieu. We fhall fail to-morrow or next morning for 
"Jrapani, from whence you may expert to hear from 

me. 



2lS A TOUR THROUGH 

me. We are now going out to examine more antique 
walls, but 1 fhall npt trouble you with them. 

Farewell, 



LETTER XX. 

June i6tli» 

"^^^I^HEN I have nothing elfe to do, I generally 
take up the pen» We are now on the top of 
a high mountain, about half way betwixt Agrigen- 
turn and Palermo. Our fea expedition by Trapani 
has failed, and we are determined to put no more 
confidence in that element, happy beyond meafure to 
find ourfelves at a diflance from it, though in the 
moil wretched of villages^ We have travelled all night 
on mules ; and arrived here about ten o'clock, over^ 
come with ileep and fatigue. We have juft had an 
excellent difh of tea, which never fails to cure me 
of both ; arid I am now as frefli as when we fet out. 
It has not had the fame effe£l on my companions : 
they have thrown themfelves down on a vile flraw^ 
bed in the corner of the hovel ^ and in fpite of ^ 
parcel of ftarved chickens, that are fluttering about 
and picking the ftraws all round them, they are 
already fall afleep. 

I fhall feize that time to recapitulajte what has hap- 
pened fince my laft. 

The day after I wrote you, we made fome little 
excurfions round Agrigentum. The country is de- 
lightful ^ 



SICILY AND MALTA. 



lightful ; producing corn, wine, and oil, in the greateft 
abundance : the fields are, at the fame time, covered 
with a variety of the fineft fruits ; oranges, lemons, 
pomegranates, almonds, piftachio-nuts, &c. Thefe 
afforded us almoft as agreeable an entertainment 
as the confideration of the ruins from whence they 
fpring. 

We dined with the bifliop, according to agree^ 
ment, and rofe from table, convinced that the 
ancient Agrigentini could not poffibly underftand 
the true luxury of eating better than their defcend- 
ants, to whom they have tranfmitted a very compe- 
tent portion both of their focial virtues and vices. I 
beg their pardon for calling them vices, I wifh I had 
a fofter name for it ; it looks Hke ingratitude for their 
hofpitality, for which we owe them fo much. 

We were juft thirty at table, but, upon my word, 
I do not think we had lefs than an hundred difhes of 
meat. Thefe were dreffed with the richeft and mod 
dehcate fauces; and convinced us that the old Ro^ 
man proverb of " Siculus coquus et Sicula menfa," 
was not more applicble in their time, than it is at 
prefent. Nothing was wanting that could be invented 
to ftimulate and to flatter the palate ; and to create a 
falfe appetite as well as to fatisfy it. Some of the 
very difhes fo much relilhed by the Roman epicures 
made a part of the feaft ; particularly the morene, 
which is fo often mentioned by their authors : it is a 
fpecies of eel, found only in this part of the Medi- 
terranean, and fent from hence to feveral of the 
courts of Europe. It is not fo fat and lufcious as 
other eels, fo that you can eat a good deal more of 
it : its fleih is as white as fnow, and is indeed a very 

great 



220 



A TOUR THROUGH 



great delicacy. But a modern refinement in luxury 
has, I think, ftill produced a greater : By a particu- 
lar kind of management they make the livers of their 
fowls grow to a large fize, and at the fame time 
acquire a high and rich flavour. It is indeed a raofl 
incomparable difli ; but the means of procuring it is 
fo cruel, that I will not even truft it with you. Per- 
haps, without any bad intention, you might mention 
it to fome of your friends, they to others, till at laft 
it might come into the hands of thofe that would be 
glad to try the experiment ; and the whole race of 
poultry might ever have reafon to curfe me : let it - 
fuffice to fay, that it occafions a painful and lingering 
death to the poor animal ; that I know is enough to 
inake you wifli never to tafte of it, whatever effect it 
may have upon others. 

The Sicilians eat of every thing, and attempted to 
make us do the fame. The company was remarkably 
merry, and did by no means belie their ancient cha^ 
rader, for mod of them were more than half-feas 
over, long before we rofe from table; and I was 
fomewhat apprehenfive of a fecond edition of the 
Triremes fcene, as they were beginning to reel ex- 
ceedingly. By the bye, I do not doubt but that phrafe 
of Half feas over, may have taken its origin from 
fome fuch ftory. They begged us to make a bowl 
of punch, a liquor they had often heard of, but had 
never feen. The materials were immediately found, 
and we fucceeded fo well, that they preferred it to 
all the wines on the table, of which they had a great 
variety. We were obliged to replenifli the bowl fo 
eiften, that I really expected to fee mod of them 
ynder the table. They called it Pontio, and fpoke 

loudly 



SICILY AND MALTA. 221 

loudly in ks praife ; decaring that Pontic (alluding to 
Pontius Pilate) was a much better fellow than they 
had ever taken him for. However, after dinner, one 
of them, a reverend canon, grew exceffively fick, 
and while he was throwing up, he turned to me with 
a rueful countenance, and. lhaking his head, he 
groaned out, " Ah, Signor Capitano, fapeva fempre 
che Pontio era un grande traditore." — " I alwa37S 
knew that Pontius was a great traitor." Another of 
them overhearing him, exclaimed—" Afpettatevi Sig- 
nor Canonico." — " Not fo faft (faid he) my good 
Canon." — " Niente al pregiudizio di Signor Pontio, 
vi prego. — Recordate, che Pontio v'ha fatto un 
canonico ; — et Pontio ha fatto fua eccellenza uno 
Vefcovo — Non fcordatevi mai di voftri amici." 

Now what do you think of thefe reverend fathers 
of the church ? their merit, you will eafily perceive, 
does not confifl in fading and prayer. — Their creed, 
they fay, they have a good deal modernized, and is 
much fimpler than that of Athanafms. — One of them 
told me, that if we v/ould but ftay with them for 
fome little time, we fhould foon be convinced that 
they were the happiefl fellows on earth. We have 
exploded (faid he) from our fyflem every thing that 
is difmal or melancholy ; and are perfuaded, that of 
all the roads in the univerfe, the road to heaven muft 
be the pleafanteft and leaft gloomy : If it be not fo, 
(added he) God have mercy upon us, for I am afraid 
we (hall never get there." I told him I could not 
flatter him ; " That if laughing was really a fin, as 
fome people taught, they were certainly the greateft 
of all fmners." " Well (faid he) we fhall at lead 
endeavour to be happy here; and that, J am per- 

fuaded. 



fuaded, is the befl of all preparations for happinefs 
hereafter. Abftineiice (continued he) from all inno« 
eent and lawful pleafures, we reckon one of the 
greateft fms, and guard againll: it with the iitmoft 
care : and I am pretty fare it is a fin that none of us 
here will ever be damned for/' — He concluded by 
repeating two lines, which he told me was their fa- 
vourite maxim ; the meaning of which was exadly 
thofe of Mr. Pope, 

** For God is paid when man receives^ 
** To enjoy is to obey.'* 

This IS not the firft time I have met with this libertine 
fpirit amongfl the Roman Catholic clergy. There is 
fo much nonfenfe and mummery in their worfhip, 
that they are afraid lefl ftrangers (hould believe they 
are ferious ; and perhaps too often fly to the oppolite 
extreme* 

We were, however, much pleafed with the bifliop 5 
he is greatly and defervedly refpe6led, yet his pre- 
fence did no wife diminifh, but rather increafed the 
jollity of the company. He entered into every joke, 
joined in the repartee, at which he is a great profi- 
cient, and entirely laid afide his epifcopal dignity ; 
which, however, I am told, he knows very well how 
to alTume when it is neceffary. He placed us next 
to himfelf, and behaved indeed, in every refped, with 
the greateft eafe and politenefs. He is one of the 
firft families of the ifland, and brother to the Prince 

of . I had his whole pedigree pat, but now I 

have loft it; no matter: he is an honeft, pleafant 
little fellow, and that is of much more confequence. 
He is not yet forty j and fo high a promotion in fo 

early 



SicitV AND MALTA. 

early a period of life, is reckoned very extraordinary^ 
this being the richeft biflioprick in the kingdom. He 
is a good fcholar, and very deeply read, both in an- 
cient and modern learning ; and his genius is in no 
degree inferior to his erudition. The fimihrity of 
character and circumflances ftruck me fo flrongiy^ 
that I could fcarce help thinking I had got befide 

our worthy and refpe£labie friend, the b p of 

D— y, which, I alfure you, ftill added greatly to 
the pleafure I had in his company. I told the biiliop 
of this ; adding, that he was brother to l — d B— — i : 
he feemed much pleafed, and faid, he had often 

heard of the family, both when lord B — was am- 

baffador in Spain, and his other brother commander 
in the Mediterranean. 

We found in this company a number of Free 
Mafons, who were delighted beyond meafure, when 
they difcovered that we were their brethren. They 
prefTed us to fpend a few more days amongfl them^ 
and offered us letters to Palermo, and every other 
town we fhould think of vifiting ; but the heats are 
increafing fo violently, that we were afraid of pro- 
longing our expedition, left we fliould be caught by 
the Sirocc winds, fuppofed to blow from the burning 
deferts of Africa, and fometimes attended with dan- 
gerous confequences to thofe that travel over Sicily. 

But I find I have omitted feveral circumflances of 
our dinner. I fhould have told you, that it Vv^as an 
annual feaft given by the nobility of Agrigentum to 
the bifhop. It was ferved in an immenfe granary, 
half full of wheat, on the fea-fiiore, chofen on pur- 
pofe to avoid the heat. The whole was on plate: 
and what appeared fmgular to us, but I believe is .a 
5 much 



A TOUR THROUGH 



much better method than oufs ; great part of th€f 
fruit was ferved up with the fecond courfe, the firft 
difli of which that went round was flrawberries* The 
Sicilians were a good deal furprifed to fee us eat 
them with cream and fugar, yet upon trial they did 
not at all diflike the compofition. 

The defert confifted of a great variety of fruits, 
and ftill a greater of ices : thefe were fo difguifed in 
the fhapes of peaches, figs, oranges, nuts, &c. that 
a perfon unaccuftomed to ices might very eafily have 
been taken in, as an honeft fea-officer was lately at 
the houfe of a certain minifter of your acquaintance, 
not lefs diftinguifhed for the elegance of his table, 
than the exadl formality and fubordination to be ob- 
ferved at it. After the fecond courfe was removed, 
and the ices, in the fhape of various fruits and fweet- 
meats, advanced by way of rear-guard ; one of the 
fervants carried the figure of a fine large peach to 
the captain, who, unacquainted with deceit of any 
kind, never doubted that it was a real one; and 
cutting it through the middle, in a moment had one 
large half of it in his mouth ; at firft he only looked 
grave, and blew up his cheeks to give it more room ; 
but the violence of the cold foon getting the better 
of his patience, he began to tumble it about from 
lide to fide in his mouth, his eyes rufliing out of 
water, till at laft, able to hold no longer, he fpit 
it out upon his plate, exclaiming with a horrid oath, 

A painted fnowball, by G — d !*' and wiping away 
his tears with his napkin, he turned in a rage to the 
Italian fervant that had helped him, with a " D — 
your maccaroni eyes, you fon of a b— , what did 
you mean by that ?" — The fellow, who did not un- 

derftand 



SICILY AND MALTA. 225 

derftand a word of it, could not forbear fmiling, 
which ftill convinced the captain the more that it was 
a trick ; and he was jufl going to throw the reft of 
the- fnowbail in his face, but was prevented by one 
of the company ; when recovering from his pallion, 
and thinking the objed unworthy of it, he only 
added in a fofter tone, " Very well, neighbour, I 
only wifli I had you on board fhip for half an hour, 
you fhould have a dozen before you could fay Jack 
Robinfon, for all your painted cheeks." 

I alk pardon for this digreffion, but as it is a good 
laughable ftory, I know you will excufe it. About 
fix o'clock, we took a cordial leave of our jolly 
friends at Agrigentum ; and embarked on board our 
Sparonaro at the new port. I fhould have told you, 
that this harbour has lately been made at a very great 
expence ; this city having always been one of the 
principal ports of the illand, for the exportation of 
grain. The bifliop and his company went into a large 
barge, and failed round the harbour, we faluted them 
as we went out; they returned the compliment, 
and we took a fecond leave. The evening was fine, 
and we coafted along for a good many miles ; we 
pafled feveral points and little promontories, that 
were exceedingly beautiful and picturefque, many of 
them were covered with noble large aloes in full 
blow. In one place, I counted upwards of 200 of 
thofe fine majeftic plants all in flower ; a fight which 
I imagined was hardly to be met with in the world.— 
After fun-fet, — alas, fain would I conceal what hap- 
pened after fun-fet ! but life you know is chequered 
with good and evil, and it would have been great 
prefumption to receive fo much of the one, without 

Q jexpeding 



220 A TOUR THROUGH 

expecting a little da& of the other too. — Befides, a 
fea expedition is nothing without a ftorm. Our 
journal would never have been readable, had it not 
been for this. — Well, I aflure you, we had it. It 
was not indeed fo violent as the great one off Louif- 
burghg or perhaps even that defcribed by Virgil ; the 
reading cf which is faid to have made people fea- 
fick ; but it was rather too much for our little bark. 
— I was going to tell you that after fun-fet the iky 
began to over-call, and in a fliort time the whole 
atmofphere appeared hery and threatening. We 
attempted to get into fome creek, but could find 
none. The wind grew loud, and v/e found it was in 
vain to proceed ; but as the night was dark and 
hazy, v/e were dubious about the poffibihty of reach- 
ing the port of Agrigentum. However, this was al! 
we had for it, as there were none other within many 
miles. Accordingly v/e tacked about, and plying 
both oars and fail, with great care not to tome 
amongft the rocks and breakers, in about two hours 
we fpied the light-houfe ; by which we directed our 
courfe, and got fafely into port, betwixt one and 
two in the morning ; v/e lay dov/n on our mattrafs, 
and fiept found till ten, when finding the falfity of 
our hypothefis, that there could be no bad weather 
in the Mediterranean at this feafon, we unanimoufly 
Agreed to have nothing more to do with Sparonaros, 
and fent immediately to engage mules to carry us 
over the mountains to Palermo. The ftorm 'con- 
tinued with violence the v/hoie day, and made us 
often thank heaven that we had got fafely back. It 
was not till five in the afternoon that we had mules, 
guides, and guards provided us ^ when we fet off, 
9 pretty 



SICILY AND MALTA. 227 

pretty much in the fame order, and in the fame 
equipage as we had done about three weeks ago from 
Meffina. Our guards attempted to hll us with the 
moft dreadful apprehenfions of this road, fhewing 
us every mile, where fuch a one was robbed, fuch 
another was murdered ; and entertained us with fuch 
melancholy ditties the greatell part of the w^ay. In- 
deed, if one half of their (lories be true, it is cer- 
tainly the moft dangerous road in the world ; but 
I looked upon moft of them as hdions, invented only 
to increafe their ovv^n confequence, and to procure a 
little more m.oney. There is, indeed, fome founda- 
tion for thefe ftories ; as there are numbers of gibbets 
ereded on the road /V2 terror em ; and every little 
haron has the power of life and death in his own 
domain. Our biihop's brother, whofe name I have 
forgot, feized lately four and twenty of thofe defpe- 
rate banditti, after a flout refiftance, where feveral 
were killed on both fides ; and notwithllanding that 
fome of them were under the proteclion of the no- 
bility, and in their fervice, they were all hanged. 
However, this has bv no means rooted them out. 
Our guards in the fufpicious places went with their 
pieces cock'd, and kept a clofe look-out to either fide 
of them ; but we fav/ nothing to alarm us, except 
the mod dreadful roads in the world ; in many places 
worfe than any thing I ever met with amongft the 
Alps. 

After travelling about twenty miles, we arrived by 
two in the morning at the mod wretched — I don't 
know what to call it — there was not any one thing 
to be had but a little. ftraw for the mules. However, 
after a good deal of difficulty, we at lafl got fire 

Q 2 enough 



A TOUR THROUGH 

enough to boil our tea-kettle, and having brought 
bread from Agrigentum, we made an excellent meal. 
Our tea-table was a round ftone in the field, and as 
the moon flione bright, we had no occafion for any 
other luminary. You may believe our flay here was 
as ftiort as poffible ; the houfe was too dreadfully 
nafly to enter it, and the ftable was full of poor 
wretches fleeping on the bare ground. In fhort, I 
never faw in any country fo miferabie an Inn, for fo 
it is ftyled. We mounted our cavalry with all expe- 
dition, and in a very fhort time got into the woods, 
v^here we were ferenaded by the nightingale as we 
went along, who made us a. full apology and atone- 
ment for the bad cheer we had met with. In a fliort 
dme it was day, and then we had entertainment 
enough from the varied fcenes of the mod beautiful, 
wild, and romantic country in the world. — The fer- 
tility of many of the plains is truly aflonifhing, with- 
out inclofures, without manure, and almoft without 
' culture. It is with reafon, that this iHand was flyled 
" Romani imperii horreum,** the granary of the 
Roman Empire. Were it cultivated, it would ftill 
be the great granary of Europe. Pliny fays, it yielded 
a hundred after one; and Diodorus, who was a 
native of the ifland, and wrote on the fpot, alTures 
us that it produced wheat and other grain fponta- 
neoufly ; and Homer advances the fame fact in the 
Ody% : 

** The foil untill'd, a ready harveft yields, 
** With wheat and barley wave the golden fields ; 
" Spontaneous wines from weighty cliifters pour, 
** And Jove defcends in each prolific fhower." 

Pope. 

Many 



SICILY AND MALTA. 229 

Many of the mountains feemed to be formed by fub- 
terraneous fire ; feveral of them retain their conical 
figure and their craters, but not fo exa^l as thofe 
on mount ^tna, as they are probably much older. 
I like wife obferved many pieces of lava on the road, 
and in the beds of the torrents ; and a good deal of 
the (tone called tufa, which is certainly the produc- 
tion of a volcano ; fo that I have no doubt, that a 
great part of this ifland^ as well as the neighbouring 
ones of Lipari, &c. has been originally formed by 
fubterraneous fire : we likewife pafled fome quarries 
of a kind of talc, and alfo of a coarfe alabafter ; 
of this they make a fort of ftucco or plaifter, re- 
fembling that of Paris ; but what I much regretted, 
we miffed feeing the famous fait of Agrigentuin; 
found in the earth, about four or five miles from 
that city. It has this remarkable property different 
from all other fait, that in the fire it prefently melts j 
but in the water it cracks and fplits, but never dif- 
folves. It is celebrated by Pliny, Ariflotle, and 
others of the ancient, as well as modern naturalifts. 
Fazzello, whom I have brought along with me to 
read by the road, fays, he has often experienced this ; 
he adds from the authority of thefe ancient authors, 
that they formerly had mines of this fait, fo pure 
and fohd, that the ilatuaries and fculptors preferred 
it to marble, and made various works of it. 

The poor people of the village have found us out, 
and with looks full of mifery have furrounded our 
door. — Accurfed tyranny, — what defpicable objeds 
we become in thy hands! Is it not inconceivable, 
how any government fliould be able to render poor 
and wretched, a country which produces almofl 

Q 3 fpon- 



^^O A TOUR THROUGH 

fpontaneoufly, every thing that even ^ luxury can de- 
fire ? But alas ! poverty and wretchednefs have ever 
attended the Spanifti yoke, both on this, and on 
t'other fide of the globe.— They make it their boaft 
that the fun never fets on their dominions, but for- 
get that fmce they became fuch, they have left him 
nothing to fee in his courfe but deferted fields, barren 
wildernefTes, oppreifed peafants, and lazy, lying, 
lecherous monks.— — Such are the fruits of their 
boafted conquefts. — They ought rather to be afhamed 
that ever the fun fnould fee th em at ail. — The fight 
of thefe poor people has filled me with indignation* 
This village is furrounded by the hnefl: country in 
the vi^orld, yet there was neither bread nor wine 
to be found in it, and the poor inhabitants appear 
itiore than half flarved. 

'MongO: Ceres' richeft: gifts witli want opprefs'd, 
** And 'mldft the flowing vineyard, die of thirft.'* 

I fhali now think of concluding, as I do not recol- 
lect that I have much more to fay to you. Befides, 
I find myfelf exceeding fleepy. i fnicerely wifh it 
may not be the fame cafe with you, before you have 
read thus far. We have ordered our mules to be 
ready by five o'clock, and* fhall again travel all 
night; — the heats are too great to allow of it by 
day; adieu. — Thefe two fellows are ftill found-afleep. 
In a few minutes I fliali be fo too, for the pen is 
almoft dropping out of my hand. Farewell, 



SICILY AND MALTA. 2.3 1, 



LETTER XXL 

P.dermo, June 19. 

E are now arrived at the great capital of Sicily, 
which in our opinion in beauty and elegance 
is greatly fuperior to Naples. It is not, indeed, fo 
large, but the regularity, the uniformity and neatnefs 
of its ftreets and buildings, render it much more plea- 
fmg ; it is full of people, who have nioftly an air of 
affluence and gaiety. And indeed we feeni to have 
got into a new world. — But flop-— not fo faft.— I had 
forgot that you have ilill 50 miles to travel on a 
€urfed ftubborn mule, over rocks and precipices : for 
I can fee no reafon, why we fhould bring you at once 
into all the fweets of Palermo, without bearing at lead 
fome little part in the fatigues of the journey. Come, 
we fhall make them as fliort as poffible. 

We left you, I think, in a little village on the top 
of a high mountain. We fnould indeed ufe you very 
ill, were we to leave you there any longer ; for I own 
it is the very worH: country quarter that ever fell to 
my lot. However, we got a good comfortable fleep 
in it, the only one thing it afforded us ; and the fleas, 
the bugs, and chickens, did all that lay in their power 
even to deprive us of that, but we defied them. Our 
two leaders came to awake us before five, apoflrophy- 
ing their entry with a detail of the horrid robberies 
and murders that had been committed in the neigh- 
bourhood ; all of them, you may be fure, on the very 
road that we vi^ere to go. 

Q 4 Our 



232 A TOUR THROUGH 

Our whole fquadron was drawn out, and we were 
ranged in order of battle, by five o'clock, when we 
began our march, attended by the whole village, man, 
woman, and child. We foon got down amongft the 
woods, and endeavoured to forget the objeQs of 
mifery we had left behind us. The beauty and richnefs 
of the country increafed in proportion as we advanced. 
The mountains, although of a great height (that we 
have left, is near 4000 feet, the mercury (landing at 
26 inches 2 lines), are covered to the very fummit 
with the richeft pafture. The grafs in the valleys is 
already burnt up, fo that the flocks are all upon the 
mountains. The gradual feparation of heat and cold, 
is very vifible in taking a .view of them. The valleys 
are brown and fcorched, and fo are the mountains to 
a confiderable height ; they then begin to take a (hade 
of green, which grows deeper and deeper, and covers 
the whole upper region ; however, on the fummit, 
the grafs and corn are by no means fo luxuriant as 
about the middle. We were amazed at the richnefs of 
the crops, far fuperior to any thing I had ever feen 
either in England or Flanders, where the happy foil 
is alTifted by all the arts of cultivation ; whilft here, 
the wretched hufbandman can hardly afford to give 
it a furrow ; and gathers in with a heavy heart, the 
moft luxuriant harveft. To what purpofe is it given 
him ? only to lie a dead weight upon his hand, fome- 
times till it is entirely loft ; exportation being prohi- 
bited to all fuch as cannot pay exorbitantly for it to 
the fovereign. — What a contraft is there betwixt this, 
and the httle uncouth country of Switzerland ! — to b^ 
fure, the dreadful confequences of opprefTion can 
never be fet in a more ftriking oppofition to the bleL 

fmgs 



SICILY AND MALTA. 



fmgs and charms of liberty. Switzerland, the very 
excrefcence of Europe, where Nature feems to have 
thrown out all her cold and ftagnating humours ; full 
of lakes, marflies, and woods, and furrounded by im- 
menfe rocks, and everlafting mountains of ice, the 
barren, but facred, ramparts of liberty. Switzerland, 
enjoying every bleffing, where every bleffing feems to 
have been denied ; whilil Sicily, covered by the molt 
luxuriant hand of Nature ; where Heaven feems to 
have fhowered down its richeft bleffings with the 
utmoil prodigality ; groans under the mofl: abjefi: 
poverty, and with a pale and wan vifage, ftarves in 
, the midft of plenty. — It is hberty alone that works 
this ftanding miracle. — Under her plaftic hands the 
mountains fmk, the lakes are drained ; and thefe 
rocks, thefe marfhes, thefe woods, become fo many 
fources of wealth and of pleafure. — But what has tem- 
perance to do with wealth ? 

" Here reigns Content, 
" And Nature's child Simplicity ; long fmce 
*' Exil'd from polifhed realms.'* 

" 'Tis Indudry Tupplies 
*' The little Temperance wants ; and rofy Health 
** Sits fmiling at the board." 

You will begin to think I am in danger of turning 
poetical in thefe clafiic fields ; — I am fure I neither 
fufpe£led any cf the mountains we have palfed to be 
ParnalTus ; nor did I believe any one of the nine fool- 
jfh enough to inhabit them, except Melpomene per- 
haps, as ftie is fo fond of tragical faces : however, I 
fliall now get you out of them as foon as pofTible, and 
bring you once more into the gay world. 1 aflure you 

I have 



S34 ^ ^ TOUR THROUGH 

I have often wifned that you could have lent me your 
mufe, on this expedition ; my letters would then have 
been more worth the reading ; but you mufl take the 
will for the deed. 

After travelling till about midnight, we arrived at 
another miferable village, where we fiept for fome 
hours on draw, and continued our journey again by 
day-break. We had the pleafure of feeing the rifmg 
fun from the top of a pretty high mountain, and v/ere 
delighted with the profped of Strombolo, and the 
other Lipari iilands, at a great diftance from us. On 
our defcent from this mountain, we found ourfelves 
on the banks of the fea, and took that road, prefera- 
ble to an inland one, although feveral miles nearer. 
We foon lighted from our mules, and plunged into 
the water, which has ever made one of our greatefl 
pleafures in this expedition ; nobody that has not tried 
it, can conceive the delight of this ; after the fatigue 
of fuch a journey, and paiTrng three days without un- 
drelTing. Your friend Fullarton, though only feven- 
teen, but v^^hofe mind and body nov/ equally defpife 
every fatigue, found himfelf firong as a lion, and fit 
to begin fuch another march. We boiled our tea- 
kettle under a , fig-tree, and eat a breakfafl that might 
have ferved a company of firolling players. 

The approach to Palermo is fine. The alleys are 
planted v/ith fruit-trees, and large American aloes in 
full blow.— Near the city we paifed a place of execu- 
tion, where the quarters of a number of robbers were 
hung up upon hooks, like fo many hams ; fome of 
them appeared newly executed, and made a very un- 
fightly figure. On our arrival, we learned that a 
prieil and three others had been taken a few days ago, 

after 



SICILY AND MALTA. 



after an obftinate defence, in which feveral were 
killed on both fides ; the prieft, rather than fubmit 
to his conquerors, plunged his hanger into his bread, 
and died on the fpot j the reft fubmitted and were 
executed. 

As there is but one inn in Palermo, we were obliged 
to agree to their own terms (five ducats a day). 
We are but indifferently lodged ; however, it is the 
only inn we have yet feen in Sicily, and indeed, 
may be faid to be the only one in the ifland. It is 
kept by a noify troublefome French-woman, who I 
find will plague us ; there is no keeping her out of 
our rooms, and Ihe never comes in without telling us 
of fuch a prince and fuch a duke, that were fo fuper- 
latively happy at being lodged in her houfe : we can 
eafily learn that they were all defperately in love 
with her ; and indeed fhe feems to take it very much 
amifs, that we are not inclined to be of the fame 
fentiments. I have already been obliged to tell her, 
X that we are very retired fort of people, and do not 
like company : I find Ihe does not efteem us the 
better for it ; and this morning, (as I paffed through 
the kitchen, without fpeaking to her) I overheard 
her exclaim, " Ah mon Dieu ! comme ces Anglois 
font fauvages." I believe we muft take more notice 
of her, otherwife we fliall certainly have our rent 
i*aifed ; but fhe is as fat as a pig, and as ugly as the 
devil, and lays on a quantity of paint on each 
of her fwelled cheeks, that looks like a great plaifter 
of red Morocco. Her picture is hanging in the 
room where I am now writing, as well as that of her 
hufband, who, by the by, is a ninny : they are no lefs 
vile curiofities than the originals. — He is drawn with 

his 



2^6 ' A T6UR THROtJGH 

his fnufF-box open in one hand, and a difli of coffee 
in the other ; and at the fame time, fait I' a'mable a 
Madame* I took notice of this triple occupation, 
which feemed to imply fomething particular. She 
told me that the thought was hers ; that her hufband 
was exceedingly fond of fnulF and of coffee, and wanted 
by this to iliew that he was ilill more occupied with 
her than with either of them. — I could not help ap- 
plauding the ingenuity of the conceit. Madame is paint- 
ed with an immenfe bouquet in her breafl, and an 
orange in her right-hand , emblematic of her fweet- 
nefs and purity ; and has the prettiefl little fmirk on 
her face you can imagine. She told me that fhe 
infifted on the painter drawing her auec le fouris fur 
le 'vfage^ but as he had not efprit enough to make 
her fmile naturally, fhe was obliged to force one, 
*' qui n'etoit pas tout a fait fi joHe que le naturel, 
mais qui vaudroit toujours mieux que de paroitre 
fombre." I agreed with her perfedly ; and af- 
fured her it became her very much, " parceque les 
" dames graffes font toujours de bonne humeur."~ 
I found, however, that flie would willingly have ex- 
cufed me the latter part of the compliment, which 
more than loft all that I had gained by the former. 
II efl vrai" (faid fhe, a good deal piqued) " j'ai un 
peu de I'era bon point, mais pas tant graffe pour- 
tant." I pretended to excufe myfelf, from not un- 
derflanding all the fineffe of the language ; and af- 
fured her, the de Fen bon point was the very phrafe 
I meant to make ufe of. She accepted the apology, 
and we are again reconciled ; for, to give the devil 
his due, they are good-humoured. She made me a 
courtfey, and repeated, " Oui, Monfieur, pour par- 

« ler 



SICILY AND MALTA. 



ler comme il faut, il faut dire de /' eyi Ian point. — 
On ne dit pas graffe.*' I affured her, bowing to 
the ground, that the word fhould for ever be rafed 
from my vocabulary. She left me with a gracious 
fmile, and a curtfey much lower than the firft ; adding 
" Je f^avois bien que Monfieur etoit un homme com- 
me il faut at the fame time tripping oft on her 
tiptoes, as Hght as a feather, to fliew me how much I 
had been miftaken. This woman made me recolle<5t 
(what I have always obferved) how little the manners 
of the French are to be changed by their connexion 
with other nations ; allowing none to be in any de- 
gree worthy of imitation but their own. Although 
Ihe has now been here thefe twenty years, (he is flill 
as perfedly French, as if fhe had never been v/ith- 
out the gates of Paris ; and looks upon every woman 
in Palermo with the utmoft contempt, becaufe they 
have never feen that capital, nor heard the fubhme 
mulic of its opera. She is likewife (allowing for the 
difference of rank) an admirable epitome of ail French 
women, whofe univerfal paffion has ever been the de- 
fire of admiration, and of appearing young : and ever 
would be, I believe, were they to hve to the age of 
a thoufand. Any perfon that will take a look of the 
withered death's heads in their public places, covered 
over with a thick Jmafk of paint, will be convinced of 
this. — Now our old ladies, when they get to the 
wrong fide of fixty, generally take a jump up to the 
borders of fourfcore, and appear no lefs vain of their 
years than ever they were of their youth. I know 
fome of them, that I am fure are not lefs happy, nor 
lefs contented, nor (I might almoft add) lefs admired 
with their wrinkles, than ever they were with their 

dimples. 



A TOUR THROUGH 



dimples. I do not know whether a chearful old 
woman, who is willing to appear fo, is more refpeQ:- 
able, or more eftimabie ; or a withered witch, who 
fills up every wrinkle with varnifh, and at fourfcore 
attempts to give herfelf the bloom of four-and-twenty, 
is ridiculous and contemptible:— but as dinner is on 
the table, I fhall leave it to you to determine. 
Adieu. 



i 



LETTER XXIL 

« Palermo, June 23d. 

J SHALL have a great deal to write you about 
this city ; we are every day more delighted with it, 
and lhall leave it with much regret. We have now 
delivered our letters, in confequence of which we ar« 
loaded v/ith civilities, and have got into a very agree- 
able fet of acquaintance. — But I fhall firft attempt 
to give you fome little -idea of the town, and then 
fpeak of its inhabitants. It is by much the moft re- 
gular I have feen, and is built upon that plan, which 
I think all large cities ought to follow. The two 
great ftreets interfed each other in the centre of 
the city, where they form a handfome fquare, called 
the Ottangolo, adorned with elegant uniform build- 
ings. From the centre of this fquare, you fee the 
whole of thefe noble flreets, and the four great gates 
of the city which terminate them ; the fymmetry and 
beauty of which produce a fine effect. The whole 
of thefe are to be magnificently illuminated fome 

time 



SICILY AND MALTA. 239 

time next month, and mufl certaintly be the finefl: 
light in the world. The four gates are each at the 
diftance of about half a mile (the diameter of the city 
being no more than a mile) : theie are elegant pieces 
of architedure richly adorned, particularly the Porta 
Nova and Porta Felice^ terminating the great ftreet 
called the Corfo, that runs fouth weft and north 
eaft. The leiTer ftreets in general run parallel to 
thefe great ones ; fo that from every part of the city, 
in a few minutes walking, you are fure to arrive at 
one of the capital ftreets. The Porta Felice (by much 
the handfomeft of thefe gates) opens to the Marino^ 
a dehghtful walk, which conftitutes one of the great 
pleafures of the nobility of Palermo. It is bounded 
on one fide by the wall of the city, and on the other 
by the fea, from whence, even at this fcorching 
feafon, there is ahvays an agreeable breeze. In the 
centre of the Marino, they have lately ere£led an 
elegant kind of temple, which during the fammer 
months, is made ufe of as an orcheftra for mufic ; 
. and as in this feafon they are obliged to convert the 
night into day, the concert does not begin till the 
clock ftrikes midnight, which is the fignal for the 
fymphony to ftrike up : at that time the walk is 
crowded with carriages and people on foot ; and the 
better to favour pleafure and intrigue, there is an 
order, that no perfon, of whatever quality, (hall pre- 
fume to carry a light with him. The flambeaux are 
extinguiflied at the Porta Felice, where the fervants 
wait for the return of the carriages ; and the company 
generally continue an hour or two together in utter 
darknefs ; except when the intruding moon, with her 
horns and her chaftity comes to difturb them. The 

concert 



240 



,A TOUR THROUGH 



concert finifhes about two in the morning, when, for 
the mod part, every hufband goes home to his own 
wife. This is an admirable inftitution, and never 
produces any fcandal : no hufband is fuch a brutq 
as to deny his wife the Marino ; and the ladies are 
fo cautious and circumfpecl on their fide, that the 
more to avoid giving offence, they very often put on 
mafques. 

Their other amufements confifl chiefly in their 
Con-verfa%wnes^ of which they have a variety every 
night. There is one general one, fupported by the 
fubfcription of the nobility, which is open every even- 
ing at fun-fet, and continues till midnight, when the 
Marino begins. It better deferves the name of a con- 
verfation than any I have feen in Italy : for here 
the people really come to converfe, whereas in Italy, 
they only go to play at cards and eat ices. I have 
obferved, that feldom or never one half of the com- 
pany is engaged in play, nor do they either play 
long or deep. There are a number of apartments 
belonging to this converfation, illuminated with wax 
lights, and kept exceedingly cool and agreeable ; and 
it is indeed altogether one of the mofL fenfible and 
comfortable inftitutions I have feen : befides this, 
there are generally a number of particular conver- 
fations every night, and v/hat will a good deal furprife 
you, thefe are always held in the apartments of the 
lying-in ladies ; for in this happy climate, childbear<- 
ing is divefted of all its terrors, and is only coniidered 
as a party of pleafure. This circumftance we were 
ignorant of till t'other morning. The duke of Ver- 
dura, who does us the honours of the place, with 
great attention and politenefs, came to tell us, we 

had 



SICILY AND MALTA. 24I 

had a vifit to make, that was indifpenfable. " The 
Priacefs Paterno (faid he) was brought to bed 
laft night ; and it is abfolutely incumbent on you 
to pay your refpeds to her this evening/' At 
firft I thought he was in joke, but he afliired me he 
v/as ferious, and that it would be looked upon as a 
great unpoliteiiefs to negle6l it.— Accordingly we 
went about fun-fet, and found the princefs fitting up 
-in her bed, in an elegant undrefs, with a number of 
her friends around her. She talked as ufual, and 
feemed to be perfediy Well. This converfation is 
repeated every night during her convalefcence, which 
generally lads for about eleven or twelve days. This 
cuftom is Univerfal, and as the ladies here are very 
proHfic, there are for the mofh part three or four of 
thefe alTemblies going on in the city at the fame time ; 
pofTibly the Marino may not a little contribute to- 
wards them. 

The Sicilian ladies marry at thirteen or fourteen, 
and are fometimes grandmothers before they are 
thirty. — The Count Stetela prefented us a few days 
ago to his coufm, the Princefs Partana, v/ho he told 
lis had a great number of children, the eldefl of 
which was a Very fme girl of fifteen. We talked to 
the princefs for half an hour, not in the leafL doubt- 
ing all the time that (lie was the daughter, till at lad 
the young lady came in ; and even then, it was not eafy 
to fay which appeared the handfomefl or the young- 
eft. This lady has had tv/elve children, and is dill 
in her bloom ; fne afiured me that die never enj oyed 
more perfect health than Vv^hen die was in childbed ; — 
that during the time of her pregnancy die was often 
indifpofed, but that immediately on delivery die was 

R cured 



A TOUR THROUGH 



cured of all her complaints, and was capable of en- 
joying tlie company of her friends even more than 
at any other time. I exprelfed my furprife at this 
very fmgular happinefs of their climate or conftitu- 
tions 5 but fhe appeared ftill more furprifed when I 
told her that we loft many of our finefl women in 
childbed ; and that even the mod fortianate and eafy 
deliveries were attended with violent paifi and an- 
guifh. — She lamented the fate of our ladies, and 
thanked Heaven that (he was born a Sicilian, 

What this fmgularity is owing to,, let the learned 
determine ; but it is furely one of the capital blefTmgs 
of thefe climates, where the curfe that vv'as laid upon 
mother Eve feems to be entirely taken off : I don't 
know how the kdies here have deferved this ex- 
emption, as they have at leaft as much both of Eve 
and the ferpeat as ours have, and ftiM retain their 
appetite, as ftrong as ever, for forbidden fruit. — It 
feems hard, that in our own countiy, and in Switzer- 
land 3, where the women in general are the chaftefl 
in Europe, that this curfe Ihould fall the heavieft r 
it is probably owing to the climate : — In cold^ but 
more particularly in mountainous countries, births 
are difficult and dangerous ; in warm and low places 
they are more eafy ; the air of the firfl hardens and 
contrails the fibres, that of the fecond foftens and re- 
laxes them. In fome places in Switzerland, and 
among the Alps, they lofe almoli one half of their 
women in childbed, and thofe that can afford it, of- 
ten go down to the low countries fome weeks before 
they lie in, and find their deUveries much eafier. 
One may eafily conceive what a change it muft make 
upon the whole frame, to add the preffure of a co- 
5 luma 



SICILY AND MALTA* 243 

lumn of air of two or three thoufand feet more than it 
is accuftomed to : and if mufcular motion is per- 
formed by the preflure of the atmofphere, as fome 
have alleged, how much muft this add to the adion of 
every mufcle ! — -However, if this hypothecs were 
true, our ftrength fhould have been diminilhed one 
third on the top of JEtUR^ which did not appear to 
be the cafe \ as we had palled through one tb'rd of 
the quantity of air of the whole atmofphere. I have . 
often thought that phyficians pay too little attention 
to thefe confiderations ; and that in fkilful hands they 
might be turned to great account, in the cure of 
many difeafes : they only fend their patients to fuch 
a degree of latitude, but never think of the degree 
of altitude in the atmofphere. Thus, people with the 
fame complaints are fent to Aix and to Marfeilles,^ 
although the air in thefe two places muft be effenti- 
ally different. Marfeilles is on the level of the fea, 
and Aix (as I myfelf meafured it) is near 600 feet 
above it. —Now I am perfuaded, that in fuch a 
country as Switzerland, or on fuch a mountain as 
^tna, where it is eafy at all times to take off a 
prefTure from the human body of many thoufand 
pounds weight, that an ingenious phyfician might 
make great difcoveries ; nor indeed would thefe 
difcoveries be confined to the changing of the quan- 
tity of air that preffts on the body, but v/ould like- 
wife be extended to the changing of the quality 
of the air we breathe ; which, on the fide of ^tna, or 
any very high mountain, is more varied than in tra- 
velling through fifty degrees of latitude. L beg par- 
don for this digrellion ; the only amends I can makej 
is to put it out of my power to trouble you with any 
more, and thus abruptly affure you how much, &c» 

R 2 



544 



A TOUR THROUGH 



LETTER XXIII. 

Palermo, June 26th^ 
QtJK fondnefs for Palermo increafes every day^ 
and we are beginning to look forward with re- 
gret to the time of our leaving it, which is now 
faft approaching. We have made acquaintance with 
many fenfible and agreeable people. The Sicilians 
appear frank and fnicere ; and their politenefs does 
not confiil in fhow and grimace, like fome of the 
poUte nations of the continent. The viceroy fets the 
pattern of hofpitality, and he is followed by the reft 
of the nobles. He is an amiable^ agreeable man, 
and I believe is as much beloved and efteemed as a 
viceroy to an abfolute monarch can be. ^ He was in 
England in his youth, and is ftill fond of many of 
our authors, with whom he feems to be intimately 
acquainted ; he fpeaks the language tolerably well, 
and encourages the learning of it amongft his people. 
~He may be confidered with regard to Naples, as 
what the lord lieutenant of Ireland is with regard to 
England, with this trifling difference, that, like his 
mafter, he is invefted with abfolute authority; and 
keeps his parliament (for he has one too) in the moll 
perfect fubjeclion. The patriots here, although a 
very numerous body, have nev^r been able to gain 
one point, no nor a place, nor even a penfion for a 
needy friend. Had lord Townfliend the power of 
the marquis Fogliano, I fuppofe your Hibernian fquab. 
bles (of which we hear fo much, even at this diftant 

corner) 



SICILY AND MALTA. 



corner) would foon have an end. — Notwithftanding 
this great authority, he is affable and familiar, and 
makes his houfe agreeable to every body. We go 
very often to his aifemblies, and have dined with him 
feveral times ; his table is ferved with elegance and 
magnificence, much fuperior indeed to that of his Sici- 
lian majefly, who eats off a fervice of plate, at lead 300 
years old, very black and rufty indeed : I heard a gen- 
tleman afk one day, whilft we w^ere (landing round the 
table, if it had not been dug out of Herculaneum. That 
of the viceroy is very elegant, and indeed the whole of 
his entertainments correipond with it ; though we 
have as yet feen nothing here, to be compared to the 
luxury of our feaft in the granary at Agrigentum. 

The Sicilian cookery is a mixture of the French 
and Spaniih ; and the Olio flill preferves its rank and 
dignity in the centre of the table, furrounded by a 
numerous train of fricaffees, fricandeaus, ragouts, and 
pet de loups ; like a grave Spanifh Don, amidfl a 
number of little fmart marquis. — The other nobility, 
whom we have had occafion to fee, are likewife very 
magnificent in their entertainments ; but moft particu- 
larly in their deferts and ices, of v/hich there is a 
greater variety than I have feen in any other country. 
They are very temperate with regard to wine ; though^ 
fmce we have taught them our method of toafting 
ladies, they are fond of, and of hob and nobing with 
their friends, ringing the two glailes together ; this 
focial pradice has animated them fo much, that they 
have been fometimes led to drink a greater quantity 
than they are accuflomed to ; and they often reproach 
us with having made them drunkards. In their ordi- 
nary living they are very frugal and temperate ; and 

R 3 from 



246 A TOUR THROUGH 



from the fobriety we have feen here, we are now more 
perfuaded that the elevated fituation of Agrigentum 
mull be one great caufe of its drunkennefs. 

The Sicilians have always had the charader of 
being very amorous, and furely not without reafon. 
The whole nation are poets, even the peafants ; and a 
man (lands a poor chance for a miltrefs, that is not 
capable of celebrating her praifes. I believe it is ge- 
nerally allowed that the paftoral poetry had its origin 
in this illand ; and Theocritus, after whom they ftill 
copy, will ever be looked upon as the prince of pafto- 
ral poets* And indeed in mufic too, as well as poetry, 
the foft, amorous pieces are generally ftyled Siciliant ; 
thefe they ufed to play all night under their miftreifes' 
windows, to exprefs the delicacy of their paffion ; but 
ferenading is not now fo much in fafhion, as it was 
during the time of their more intimate connexion 
with Spain, when it was faid by one of their authors, 
that no perfon could pafs for a man of gallantry that 
had not got a cold ; and was fure never to fucceed in 
making love, uniefs he made it in a hoarfe voice. The 
ladies are not now fo rigid, and will fometimes con- 
defcend to hear a man, even although he fliould fpeak 
in a clear tone. — Neither do they any longer require 
the prodigious martial feats, that were then neceffary 
to win them.-— The attacking of a mad bull, or a wild 
boar, was reckoned the handfomeft compliment a 
lover could pay to his miitrefs ; and the putting thefe 
animals to death foftened her heart much more than 
all the fighing love-fick tales that could be invented. 
This has been humoroufiy ridiculed by one of their 
poets. He fays that Cupid's iittle golden dart Vv^as 
nov/ changed into a mafTy fpear, v/hich anfwered a 

double 



SICILV AND MALTA. 247 

double purpofe ; for at the fame time that it pierced 
the tough bull's hide, it likewife pierced the tender 
lady's heart. — ^But thefe Gothic cuftoms are now confi- 
ned to Spain, and the gentle Sicilians have reaflumed 
their foftnefs. To tell you the truth, gallantry is pretty 
much upon the fame footing here as in Italy, the 
eftablifhment of Ciccifbees is pretty general, though 
not quite fo univerfal as on the continent. However, 
a breach of the marriage vow is no longer looked 
upon as one of the deadly fms ; and the confelTors 
fall upon eafy and pleafant enough methods of making 
them atone for it. The hufbands are content ; and 
like able generals, make up for the lofs of one for- 
trefs, by the taking of another. However, female li- 
cendoufnefs Ivas by no means come to fuch a height 
as in Italy. We have feen a great deal of domeftic 
happinefs ; hufbands and wives that truly love one 
another, and whofe mutual care and pieafure is the 
education of their children. I could name a number ; 
— rthe Duke of Verdura, the Prince Partana, the 
Count Bulcemi, and many others who live in the 
mofl facred union. Such fights are very rare on the 
continent. But indeed the ftyle that young people 
are brought up in here, feems to lay a much more 
folid foundation for matrimonial happinefs, than 
either in France or Italy. The young ladies are not 
fhut up in convents till the day of their marriage, but 
for the moil part live in the houfe with their parents, 
where they receive their education, and are every day 
in company with their friends and relations. From 
what I can obferve, I think they are allowed almofl 
as much liberty as with us. In their great affemblies 
we often fee a club of young people (of both fexes) 

R4 get 



A TOUR THROUGH 



get together in a corner, and amufe themfelves for 
hours, at crofs purpofes or fuch like games, without 
the mothers being under the lead anxiety ; indeed, 
we fometimes join in thefe little parties, and find them 
extremely entertaining. In general, they are quick 
and lively, and have a number of thofe jeux d^efpritj 
which I think mud ever be a proof, in all countries, 
of the familiar intercourfe betwixt the young people 
of the trwo fexes ; for all thefe games are infipid, if 
they are not feafoned by fomething of that invifible 
and fubtile agency, which renders every thing more 
interefting in thefe mixed focieties, than in the lifelefs 
t5nes, compofed of only one part of the fpecies. Thus, 
in Italy, Spain, and Portugal, I have never feen any 
of thefe games ; in France feldom, but in Switzerlancf, 
(where the greateft liberty and familiarity are enjoyed 
amongfl the young people) they are numberlefs. 

— - But the converfation hour is arrived, and oui: 
carriage is waiting. 

Adieuc 



LETTER XXIV, 

Palermo, June 2 3th. 

T^HERE are two fmall countries, one to the eaft, 
the other to the v/e(l of this city, where the 
principal nobility have their country palaces. Both 
thefe v/e have vifited ; there are many noble houfes 
in each of them. That to the eaft is called La Ba- 
garia, that to the weft II CoIIe. — We are this inftant 
returned from La Bagaria, and I haften to give you 

an 



SICILY AND MALTA. 249 

an account of the ridiculous things we have feen, 
though perhaps you will not thank me for it. 

The palace of the Prince of Valguanera is, I think^ 
by much the fineft and moft beautiful of all the 
houfes of the Bagaria ; but it is far from being the 
moft extraordinary: were I to defcribe it, I fhould 
only tell you of things you have often feen and heard 
of in other countries, fo I fhall only fpeak of one, 
which, for its fmgularity, certainly is not to be 
paralleled on the face of the earth ; it belongs to the . 
prince of P — a man of immenfe fortune, who 
has devoted his whole hfe to the ftudy of monflers 
and chimeras, greater and more ridiculous than ever 
entered into the imagination of the wildeft writers of 
romance or knight-errantry. 

The amazing Crowd of ftatues that furround his 
houfe, appear at a diftance like a little army drawn 
up for its defence ; but when you get amongfl them, 
and every one afTames his true likenefs, you im^agina 
you have got into the regions of delufion and en- 
chantment 5 for of all that immenfe group, there is 
not one made to reprefent any objecl in nature ; nor 
is the abfurdity ct the wretched imagination that 
created them lefs aftonifhing than its wonderful fer- 
tihty. It would require a volume to defcribe the 
whole, and a fad volume indeed it would make. He 
has put the heads of men to the bodies of every fort 
of animal, and the heads of every other animal to the 
bodies of men. Sometimes he makes a compound 
of five or fix animals that have no fort of refemblance 
in nature. . He puts the head of a lion to the neck of 
a goofe, the body of a lizard, the legs of a goat, the 
tail of a fox. On the back of this monfter, he puts 

another, 



A TOUR THROUGH 

another, if poffible ftill more hideous, with five or 
fix heads, and a bufh of horns, that beats the bead 
in the Revelations all to nothing. There is no kind 
of horn in the world that he has not coUeded ; and 
his pleafure is to fee them ail flourifhing upon the 
fame head. This is a ftrange fpecies of madnefs ; and 
it is truly unaccountable that he has not been fhut 
up many years ago ; but he is perfectly innocent, and 
troubles nobody by the indulgence of his phrenzy ; 
on the contrary, he gives bread to a number of fta- 
tuaries and other workmen, whom he rewards in 
proportion as they can bring their imaginations to 
coincide with his own ; or, in other words, according 
to the hideoufnefs of the monfters they produce. It 
would be idle and tirefome to be particular in an ac-. 
count of thefe abfurdities. The ftatues that adorn, 
or rather deform the great avenue, and furround the 
court of the palace, amount already to 600, notwith- 
ftanding which, it may be truly faid, that he has not 
broke the fecond commandment ; for of all that num.. 
ber, there is not the likenefs of any thing in heaven 
above, in the earth beneath, or in the waters under 
the earth. The old ornaments, which were put up 
by his father, who was a fenfible man, appear to 
have been in a good tafte. They have all been 
knocked to pieces, and laid together in a heap, to 
make room for this new creation. 

The infide of this inchanted caftle correfponds ex- 
aQ:ly with the out ; it is in every refped as whimfical 
and fantaflical, and you cannot turn yourfelf to any 
fide, where you are not ftared in the face by fome 
hideous figure or other. Some of the apartments 
are fpacious and magnificent, with high arched roofs ; 

which 



SICILY AND MALTA. 25 1 

which inftead of plaifter or flucco, are compofed 
entirely of large mirrors, nicely joined together. The 
efFed that thefe produce (as each of them make a 
fmall angle with the other) is exadiy that of multi- 
plying glafs ; fo that when three or four people are 
walking below, there is always the appearance of 
three or four hundred walking above. The 
whole of the doors are like wife covered over with 
fmall pieces of mirror, cut into the mod ridiculous 
fliapes, and intermixed with a great variety of cryftal 
and glafs of different colours. All the chimney- 
pieces, windows, and fide-boards are crowded with 
pyramids and pillars of tea-pots, caudle-cups, bowls, 
cups, faucers, &c. flrongly cemented together ; 
fome of thefe columns are not without their beauty : 
one of them has a large china chamber-pot for its 
bafe, and a circle of pretty Httle flower-pots for its 
capital ; the fliaft of the column, upwards of four 
feet long, is compofed entirely of tea-pots of dif- 
ferent fizes, diminifhed gradually from the bafe to 
the capital. The profufion of china that has been 
employed in forming thefe columns is incredible ; 
I dare fay there is not lefs than forty pillars and py- 
ramids formed in this flrange fantaftic manner. 

Moll of the rooms are paved with fine marble 
tables of different colours, that look hke fo m.any 
tomb-ftones. Some of thefe are richly wrought with 
lapis lazuli, porphyry, and other valuable Hones ; 
their fine polifli is now gone, and they only appear 
like common marble; the place of thefe beautiful 
tables he has fupplied by a new fet of his own inven- 
tion, fome of which are not without their merit. 
Thefe are made of the fineil tortoife-fnell mixed with 

mother 



^^2 A TOUR THROUGH 

mother of pearl, ivory, and a variety of metals ; and 
are mounted on fine (lands of folid brafs. 

The windows of this inchanted caftle are compofed 
of a variety of glafs of every different colour, mixed 
without any fort of order or regularity. Blue, red, 
green, yellow, purple, violet.-— So that at each win- 
dow, you may have the heavens and earth of what- 
ever colour you chufe, only by looking through the 
pane that pleafes you. 

The houfe-clock is cafed in the body of a ftatue ; 
the eyes of the figure move with the pendulum, 
turning up their white and black alternately, and 
make a hideous appearaiace. 

His bed-chamber and drefling-room are like two 
apartments in Noah's ark ; there is fcarce a bead:, 
however vile, that he has not placed there ; toads, 
frogs, ferpents, lizards, fcorpions, all cut out in 
marble, of their refpedive colours. There are a 
good many bufts too, that are not lefs fmguiarly 
imagined. — Some of thefe make a very handfome. pro- 
file on one fide ; turn to the other, and you have a 
fkeleton ; here you fee a nurfe with a child in her 
arms ; its back is exaQ:iy that of an infant ; its face 
is that of a wrinkled old woman of ninety. 

For fome minutes one can laugh at thefe follies, , 
but indignation and contempt foon get the better of 
your mirth, and the laugh is turned into a fneer. I 
own I was foon tired of them ; though fome things 
are fo ftrangely fancied, that it may well excufe a 
little mirth, even from the moil rigid cynic. 

The family ftatues are charming; they have been 
done from fome old pictures, and make a mofl vene- 
rable appearance j he has drelfed them out from 

head 



SICILY AND MALTA. 253 

head to foot, in new and elegant faits of marble; 
and indeed the efied it produces is more ridiculous 
than any thing you can conceive. Their fhoes are all 
of black marble, the (lockings generally of red ; their 
clothes are of different colours, blue, green, and 
variegated, with a rich lace of giall' antique. The 
periwigs of the men and head-drelTes of the ladies are 
of fine white ; fo are their fliirts, with long flowing 
ruffles of alabafler. The walls of the houfe are co- 
vered with fome fine baifo relievos of white marble, 
in a good tafte ; thefe he could not well take out, 
or alter, fo he has only added immenfe frames to 
them. Each frame is compofed of four large marble 
tables. 

The author and owner of this lingular colIeiSlion 
is a poor miferable lean figure, fliivering at a breeze, 
and feems to be afraid of every body he fpeaks to ; 
but (what furprifed me) I have heard him talk fpe- 
cioufly enough on feveral occafions. He is one of 
the richeft fubjeds in the ifiand, and it is thought he 
has not laid out lefs than 20,000 pounds in the 
creation of this world of monfiers and chimeras. 
He certainly might have fallen upon fome way to 
prove himfelf a fool at a cheaper rate. However it 
gives bread to a number of poor people, to whom he 
is an excellent mailer. His houfe at Palermo is a 
good deal in the fame ftyle ; his carriages are covered 
with plates of brafs, fo that 1 really believe fome of 
them are mufket proof. 

The government have had ferious thoughts of de- 
molilhing the regiment of monfters he has placed 
round his houfe, but as he is humane and inoffenfive, 
and as this would certainly break his heart, they have 

as 



^54 A TOUR THROUGH 

as yet forborne. However, the feeing of them by 
women with child is faid to have been already at« 
tended with very unfortunate circumftances ; fevera! 
living monflers having been brought forth in the 
neighbourhood. The ladies complain that they dare 
no longer take an airing in the Bagaria ; that fome 
hideous form always haunts their imagination for 
fome time after : their hufbands too, it is faid, are as 
little fatisfied with the great variety of horns. Adieu, 
I fhall write you again by next poft, as matter multi- 
plies fall upon me in this metropolis* 

Ever yours* 



LETTER XXV. 

Palermo, June 30tli» 

'J^HE account the people here give of the Sirocc^ 
or South-eaft wind, is truly wonderful ; to-day^ 
at the viceroy's, we were complaining of the violence 
of the heat, the thermometer being at 79. — They 
aiTured us, that if we (laid till the end of next month, 
we fliould propably look on this as pleafant cool wea^ 
ther ; adding, that if we had once experienced the 
Sirocc, all other v/eather will appear temperate.— 
I afked to what degree the thermometer commonly 
rofe during this wind ; but found to my furprife, 
that there was no fuch inilrument in ufe amongft 
them : however, the violence of it, they affure us, is 
incredible ; and that thofe who had remained many 
years in Spain and Malta, had never felt any heat in 

thofe 



SICILY AND MALTA. 255 

thofe countries to compare to it. — How it happens to 
be more violent in Palermo than in any other part of 
Sicily, is a myflery that fliil remains to be unfolded. 
Several treatifes have been v/ritten on this fubjed, 
but none that give any tolerable degree of fatisfac- 
tion. As we fhall ftay for fome time longer, it is 
poffible we may have an opportunity of giving you 
fome account of it. 

They have begun fome weeks ago to make prepara- 
tions for the great feaft of St. Rofolia ; and our 
friends here fay they are determined that we fliail not 
leave them till after it is over ; but this I am afraid 
will not be in our power. The warm feafon advances, 
and the time we appointed for our return to Naples 
is alread elapfed ; but indeed, return vvhen we will, 
v/e fhall make but a bad exchange ; and were it not 
for thofe of our own country whom we have left be- 
hind us, we certainly fhould have determined on a 
much longer ftay. But although the fociety here is 
fuperior to that of Naples, yet, — call it prejudice — 
or call it what you will, there is z—je nejcai quoi^ — 
a certain confidence in the charader, the worth and 
friendfhip of our own people, that I have feldom felt 
any where on the continent, except in Switzerland. 
This fenfation, which conilitutes the charm of fociety, 
and can alone render it fupportabie for any time, is 
only infpired by fomething analogous, and fympathe- 
tiCj in our feelings and fentiments ; like two inftru- 
ments that are in unifon, and vibrate to each other's 
touch : for fociety is a concert, and if the inftruments 
are not in tune, there never can be harmony ; and 
(to carry on the metaphor) this harmony too mud 
fometimes be heightened and fupported by the intro-. 

dudion 



25^ A TOUR' THROUGH 

du(3:ion of a difcord ; but where difcords predomiriatey 
which is often the cafe between an Englifn and art 
Italian mind, the mufic mud be wretched indeed. — 
Had we but a httle mixture of our own fociety, how 
gladly fhould we fpend the winter in Sicily ; but we 
often think with regret on My, Hamilton's and Mr. 
Walter's families ; and wifli again to be oil the conti- 
nent.— Indeed, even the pleafures we enjoy here, we 
owe principally to Mr. Hamilton t his recommenda- 
tions we have ever found to be the befh palTp'ort and 
introduction ; and the zeal and cordiality with which 
thefe are always received, proceeds evidently not 
from motives of deference and refped to the minifter, 
but of love and affedion' to the man* 

I'his morning we went to fee a celebrated convent 
of Capuchins, about a mile without the city $ it con- 
tains nothing very remarkable but the burial-place, 
which indeed is a great curiofity* This is a v^d fub- 
terraneous apartment, divided into large commodious 
galleries, the walls on each fide of which are hollow- 
ed into a variety of niches, as if intended for a great 
collection of ilatues ; thefe niches, inftead of flatues> 
are all filled with dead bodies, fet upright upon their 
legs, and. fixed by the back to the infide of the nich t 
their number is about three hundred : they are all, 
dreiTed in the clothes they ufually wore, and form a 
moft refpedable and venerable aiTembly. The Ikin and 
mufcles, by a certain preparation, become as dry and 
hard as a piece of ftock-filh ; and although many of 
them have been here upv/ards of two hundred and 
fifty years, yet none are reduced to Ikeletons ; the 
mufcles, indeed, in fome appear to be a good deal 
more fiirunk than in others j probably becaufe thefe - 

perfons 



SICILY AND MALTA. 2^ 

perfons had been more extenuated at the time of their 
-death. 

Here the people of Palermo pay daily vifits to 
their deceafed friends, and recal with pleafure and 
regret the fcenes of their pafl life ; here they fami- 
liarize themfelves with their future ilate, and chuie 
the company they would wifh to keep in the other 
world. It is a common thing to make choice of their 
nich, and to try if their body fits it, that no altera- 
tions may be necelTary after they are dead ; and fome- 
times, by way of a voluntary penance, they accuflom 
themfelves to fland for hours in thefe niches. 

The bodies of the princes and firfh nobility are 
lodged in handfome chells or trunks, fome of them 
richly adorned : thefe are not in the fhape of coffins, 
but all of one width, and about a foot and a half, 
or two feet deep. The keys are kept by the nearefl 
relations of the family, who fometimes come and 
drop a tear over their departed friends. 

I am not fure if this is not a better method of 
difpofmg of the dead than ours. Thefe vifits muft 
prove admirable lefTons of humility; and I affure you, 
they are not fuch objeds of horror as you would ima- 
gine : they are faid, even for ages after death, to re- 
tain a ftrong Ukenefs to v/hat they were when alive ; 
fo that, as foon as you have conquered the firfl: feel- 
ing excited by thefe venerable figures, you only con- 
fider this as a vafl gallery of original portraits, drawn 
after the Hfe, by the jufteft and moft unprejudiced 
hand. It mufl be owned that the colours are rather 
faded ; and the pencil does not appear to have been 
the mod flattering in the world ; but no matter, it is 
the pencil of truth, and not of a mercenary, v/ho only 

S wants 



\ 



25B A TOUR THROUGH 

wants to pleafe. We were alleging too, that xt 
might be made of very confiderable utility to fo- 
ciety ; and that thefe dumb orators could give the 
mofl pathetic ledures upon pride and vanity. When- 
ever a fellow began to flrut, like Mr. B. or to afFe6t 
the haughty fupercilious air, he fhould be fent to 
converfe with his friends in the gallery ; and if their 
arguments did not bring him to a proper way of 
thinking, I would give him up as incorrigible. 

At Bologna they fhewed us the fkeleton of a cele- 
brated beauty, who died at a period of life when flie 
w^as dill the objed of univerfal admiration. By way 
of making atonement for her own vanity, fhe be- 
queathed herfelf as a monument, to curb the vanity 
of others. Recolieding on her death-bed the great 
adulation that had been paid to her charms, and 
the fatal change they were foon to undergo, fhe or- 
dered that Tier body fliould be diiTected and her 
bones hung up for the infpeclion of all young maidens 
who are inclined to be vain of their beauty. How- 
ever, if file had been preferved in this moral gallery, 
the leffon would have been flronger ; for thofe very 
features that had raifed her vanity would fliil have 
■{ remained, only diverted of all their power, and dif- 
armed of every charm. 

Som.e of the Capuchins fleep in thefe galleries 
every night, and pretend to have many wonderful 
vifions and revelations j but the truth is, that very few 
people beheve them. 

No woman is ever admitted into this convent either 
dead or alive ; and this interdiction is wTicten in large 
charaO:ers over the gate. The poor indolent Capu- 
chins, the fraikil: of all fiefli, have great need of 

fuch 



, ' ' SICILY AND MALTA. 259 

fuch precautions : they have no occupation from with- 
out, and they have no refources within themfelves, 
fo that they muft be an eafy prey to every temptation : 
Bocaccio, and all the books of that kind, are filled 
with ftorles of their fraiky. — Yeflerday, dining at the 
Prince of Sperlinga's, and talking on this fubjedl, the 

Abbe T gave us an anecdote of a friend of 

his, who was formerly a brother of this convent. 
He is known by the name of Fra Fafqual, and has 
pafTed through many fmgular fcenes of life, which 
it would be too long to recount. His lad migration, 
or, if you will, tranfm-igration, was from one of the 
banditti of this kingdom, in which capacity, he had 
been enrolled for fome time ; but, tired of the dan- 
ger and fatigue to which he was perpetually expofed, 
he at laft determined to exchange the charader of 
the hero, for that of the faint, and try if it was not 
both fafer and furer, to rely on the weaknefs of others, 
than on our own (Irength. 

Fra Pafqual pretended a ftrong compundion for 
the tranfgreluons of his pad life, and made a promife 
to the Virgin, that the remainder of it fliould be fpent 
in mortification and penance, to atone for them. 
To this end, Pafqual, took the vows of poverty, and 
of chaftity, and entered into all the rigours of the 
monadic life. — For fome weeks he behaved in a mofl 
exemplary manner ; he went barefooted, wore a large 
rofary, and a thicker cord of difcipHne than any monk 
in the convent ; and his whole deportm.ent gave tefti- 
mony of the mofl unfeigned repentance; hov/ever, 
the devil was flill at work in the heart of Pafqual, 
and all thefe external mortificarions onjy made hinit 
work the harder j in ihort. he found it impofCble 

S 2 ^ 



tSo . A TOUR THROUGH 

to drive him oat : Pafqual was fenfible of this ; and 
afraid led the enemy fhould at lafl get the better of 
him, he thought it advifeable to leave at Palermo 
the character of fandity he had acquired, and begin 
fomewhere elfe upon a new fcore. He embarked 
for Naples, wh'ere he was foon admitted into a capu- 
chin convent. 

As Pafqual knew from experience that the dull uni- 
formity of the monadic life required fome Httle amufe- 
ments to render it fupportable, the iirft thing he fet 
about was to fmd a miflrefs. He made love to a lady 
of eafy virtue, who foon admitted his addrelTes, but 
at the fame time informed him that he had a for- 
midable rival, who was jealous as a tiger, and 
would not fail to put them both to death, fhould he 
difcover the intrigue. This was no other than a 
lifeguard-man, a fellow of fix feet two inches, with 
a vail fpada, Hke that of Goliah, and a monflrous pair 
of curled whifkers, that would have cafl a damp on 
the heart of any man but Fra Pafqual ; but the mo- 
naftie life had not yet enervated hkn ; he was ac- 
cuftomed to danger,, and loved a few difficulties; 
however, as in his prefent character he could not 
be on a footing with his rival, he thought it beft only 
t'O make ufe of prudence and ftratag^m to fupplant 
him : thefe are the ecclefiaftical arms, and they have 
generally been found too hard for the military. 

The lady promifed him an interview as foon as 
the court fhould go to Portici, where the lifeguard- 
man*s duty obliged him to attend the king. Pafqual 
waited with impatience for fome time ; at lall the 
wiflied-for night arrived y. the king fet off, after the 
opera, with all his guards, Pafqual flew like lightning 

9 



SICILY AND MALTA. 



to the arms of his miftrefs ; the preliminaries were 
foon fettled, and the happy lovers had juft fallen 
afleep, when they were fuddenly alarmed by a rap 
and a well-known voice at the door. The lady ftart- 
ed up in an agony of defpair, alTuring Pafqual that 
.they were both undone ; that this was her lover ; 
and if fome expedient was not fallen upon, in the 
firfl tranfports of his fury, he would certainly put 
them both to death. There was no time for reflec- 
tion; the lifeguard^man demanded entrance in the 
moll: peremptory manner, and the lady was obliged, 
to inflant compliance. Pafqual had jull: time to ga- 
ther his rags together, and cram himfelf in below 
the bed ; at that inflant the door opened, and the 
giant came in, rattling his arms and ftorming at 
his miftrefs, for having made him wait fo long; 
however, Ihe foon pacified him. He then ordered 
her to ftrike a light that he might fee to undrefs : — 
this ftruck Pafqual to the foul, and he gave himfelf 
up for loft ; however, the lady's addrefs faved him, 
when he leaft expeded it. In bringing the tinder, 
fhe took care to let fall fome water into the box; 
and all the beating fhe and her lover could beat, they 
could not produce one fpark. Every ftroke of the 
flint founded in Pafqual's ears like his death-knell ; 
but when he heard the hfeguard-man fwearing at the 
tinder for not kindling, he began to conceive fome 
hopes, and blelTed the fertile invention of v/oman. — 
The lady told him he might eafxly get a light at the 
guard, which was at no great diftance. — Paiqual's 
heart leaped with joy ; — but when the foldier an- 
fwered that he was abfent without leave, and durfl 
not be feen, it again began to flag ; but on his or- 

S 3 dering 



252 



A fOUR THROUGH 



dering her to gc — ^it died within him, and he now 
found himfelf in greater danger than ever. The 
lady herfelf was difconcerted ; but quickly recovering, 
fhe told him it would be too long before fhe could get 
dreiTed ; but advifed him to go to the corner of a 
neighbouring ftreet, where there was a lamp burning 
before the Virgin Mary, who could have no objection 
to his lighting a candle at it, — ^Pafqual revived ; but 
the foldier declared he was too much fatigued with 
liis walk, and would rather undrefs in the dark ; he 
at the fame time began to grope below the bed for 
a bottle of liqueurs, which he knew flood there. — 
Pafqual (hook like a quaker, — however, dill he efcaped. 
— The lady obferving what he was about, made a 
fpring, and got him the bottle, at the very indant 
he v/as within an inch of feizing Pafqual's head. — 
The lady then went to bed, and told her lover, as 
it was a cold night, fne would warm his place for 
him. Pafqual admired her addrefs, and began to 
conceive fome hopes of efcaping. 

His fituation was the moil irkfome in the world \ 
the bed was fo low, that he had no room to move ; 
and when the great heavy hfeguard-man entered it, 
he found himfelf fqueezed down to the ground. He 
lay trembling and ftifling his breath for fome time, 
but found it abfolutely impofilble to fupport his fitu. 
ation till morning ; and indeed, if it had, his 
clothes which were fcattered about, mufl infallibly 
difcover him : he therefore began to think of making 
his efcape ; but he could not move without alarming 
his rival who was now lying above him. At fird he 
thought of rufhing fuddenly out, and throwing him- 
felf into the dreet ; but this he difdained^ and, on 

fecon4 



SICILY AND MALTA. 26^ 

fecond thoughts, determined to fel^e the lifeguard- 
man's fword, and either put him to death, or make 
an honourable capitulation both for himfeif and the 
lady. In the midft of thefe refledions, his rival 
began to fnore, and Pafqual declares that no mufic 
was ever fo grateful to his foul. He tried to ftir a 
little, and finding that it did not av/ake the enemy, 
he by degrees worked himfeif out of his prifon. He 
immediately laid hold of the great fpada: — when ail 
his fears forfook him, and he felt as bold as a lion. 
He now relinquiilied the daftardly fcheme of efcap- 
ing, and only thought how he could bed retaliate on 
his rival, for all that he had made him fuffer. 

As Pafqual v/as (lark naked, it was no more 
trouble to him to put on the foidier's clothes than his 
ov/n ; and as both his cloak and his cappouch toge- 
tlier were not worth a fucpence, he thought it mofl 
eligible to equip himfeif a la militaire, and to leave 
his facerdotal robes to the foldier. In a Ihort time 
he was drelTed cap-a-pie. Kis greafy cowl, his cloak, 
his fandals, his rofary, and his rope of difcipline, he 
gathered together, and placed on a chair before the 
bed ; and girding himfeif with a great buff belt, in- 
ftead of the cordon of St. Francis, and grafping his 
trufty Toledo inftead of the crucifix, he fallied forth 
into the flreet. He pondered for fome time what 
fcheme to fall upon ; and at firll thought of return- 
ing in the character of another lifeguard-man, pre- 
tending to have been fent by the officer with a guard 
in quell of his companion, who not being found in 
his quarters, v/as fuppofed to have deferted : and 
thus, after having m^ade him pay heartily for all that 
he had fuffered under the bed, to leave him to the 

s 4 ^^joy* 



.A TOUR THROUGH 



enjoyment of his pannic, and the elegant fult of 
clothes he had provided him. However, he was not 
fatisfied with this revenge, and determined on one 
flill more folid. He went to the guard, and told the 
officer that he had met a Capuchin friar, with all the 
enfigns of his fanclity about him, fcuiking through 
the ftreets, in the dead of night, when they pretend 
to be employed in prayer for the fms of mankind. 
That prompted by curiofity to follow him, the holy 
friar, as he expected, went ftraight to the houfe of a 
celebrated courtezan, that he faw him admitted, and 
' liftened at the windov/ till he heard them go to bed 
together : that if he did not find this information 
to be true, he fliould refign himfelf his prifoner, 
and fubmit to whatever punifhment he Ihould think 
proper. 

• The officer and his guard delighted to have fuch a 
hold of a Capuchin, (who pretend to be the very 
models of fandity, and who revile in a particular 
manner the hcentious life of the military) turned out 
v/ith the utmoll alacrity, and, under the condu£l of 
Pafqual, furrounded the lady's houfe. Pafqual begun 
thundering at the door ; and demanded entrance for 
the officer and his guard. The unhappy foldier waking 
with the noife, and not doubting that it was a detach- 
ment fent to feise him, gave himfelf up to defpair, 
and inRantly took fhelter in the very place that Paf- 
qual had fo lately occupied ; at the fame time laying 
hold of all the things he found on the chair,, never 
doubting that they were his own clothes. As the 
lady v/as fomev/hat dilatory in opening the door, Paf- 
qual pretended to put his foot to it, when up it flew, 
and entering v/ith the officer and his guard, demand- 
ed 



SICILY AND MALTA. 2^5 

ed the body cf a Capuchin friar, who they were 
informed lodged with her that night. The lady had 
heard Pafqual go out, and having no fufpicion that 
he would inform againil himfelf, (lie protefted her 
innocence in the molt folemn manner, taking all the 
faints to witnefs that fhe knew no fuch perfon : but 
Pafqual fufpecling the retreat of the lover, began 
groping below the bed, and foon pulled out his own 
greafy cowl and cloak ; — " Here (faid he to the 

officer) — here are proofs enough : — I'll anfwer for 
" it, Sigfior Padre himfelf is at no great diftance." — 
And putting his nofe below the bed; — " Fogh (fays 
" he) I fmell him ; — he ftinks like a fox. The furefl 
" method of finding a Capuchin, is by the nofe; 
" you may wind him a mile off." — Then lowering 
their lanthorn, they beheld the unfortunate lover 
fqueezed in betwixt the bed and the ground, and 
almofl ilifled. — " Ecco lo^ (faid Pafqualj here he is, 

with all the enfigns of his holinefs and pulling 
them out one by one, — the crucifix, the rofary, and 
the cord of difciphne, — " You may fee (faid he) that 
" the reverend father came here to do penance — 
and taking up the cord, — " Suppofe now we fliould 
" afhfl him in this meritorious work. Andiamoy 

Signer Padre^ — andlamo, — We will fave you the 
" trouble of inflicling it yourfelf; — and whether 

you camxC here to fin, or to repent, by your own 

maxims, you know, a little found difcipline is 
" healthful to the foul." — The guard were lying 
round the bed, in convulfions of laughter ; and be- 
gan breaking the mofl galling and moft infoient 
jokes upon the fuppofed padre. — The lifeguard-man 
thought himfelf enchanted-— He at lafi ventured to 

fpeak, 



A TOUR THROUGH 



The poor foldier remained next day a fpe£lacle of 
ridicule to all the world ; at lail his companions 
heard of his ftrange metamorphofis, and came in 
troops to fee him : their jokes were perhaps ftill 
more galling than thofe of the guard, but as he 
thought himfelf under the finger of God, or at leaft 
of St. Januarius, he bore all with meeknefs and pa- 
tience ; at lad his clothes were found, and he was 
fet at hberty ; but he believes to this day, that the 
whole was the work of the devil, fent to chaflife him 
for his fms ; and has never fmce. feen his miftrefs on 
a Friday, nor pafTed the ftatue of St. Januarius with- 
out muttering a prayer. Fra Fafqual has told the 
ftory to feveral of his mod intimate friends, whom he 
can depend on, amongft whom is the Abbe T-t-i, who 
has often had it from his own mouth. 

I beg pardon for this long flory ; had I fufpe6led 
that it would have run out to half this length, I alTure 
you, I fhould not have troubled you with it. Perhaps, 
ho wvever, you will think this apology precifely the mod 
unneceffary, and moll impertinent part of it all. — 
This is often the fate of apologies, particularly for 
long letters ; Firfl, becaufe it always makes them 
longer ;—Secondiy, — Hey-day ! where are we going 
now ? — To return then to our fubjecl. We had no 
fooner left the Capuchin convent, than our carriage 
broke down, long before we reached the city : and 
ss walking (at Palermo as well as Naples) is of all 
things the moft difgraceful, we rifked by this unfor- 
tunate accident to have our charaders blafled for 
ever. Ho¥/ever, Philip, our Sicilian fervant, took 
care to make fuch a noife about it, that our dignity 
did not much fuller. lie kept a Uttle diflance before 

us. 



SICILY AND MALTA. 



US, pefting and blafting all the way at their curfed 
crazy carnages ; — and 1 wearing that there never was 
any thing in the world fo infamous : that in a city- 
like Palermo, the capital of all Sicily, Signori of our 
rank and dignity fliould be obliged to w^alk on foot ; 
that it mud be an eternal refledion againU the place, 
— and bawled out to every perfon he met, if there 
was no coaches to be had ; no carriages of any kind, 
either for love or money. In fhort, we had not got 
half through the flreet, before we had feveral offers 
from gentlemen of our acquaintance, who lamented 
exceedingly the indignity we had fuffered, and won- 
dered much, that we did not rather fend forward a 
fervant for another coach, and wait (in the heat of 
the fun) till it arrived. 

This is not the only time that Philip's wits Iiave 
been of fervice to us on fuch occafions. A few nights 
ago, we had a difpute with cur coachman, turned 
him off, and had not provided another. We were 
unfortunately engaged to go to the great converfa- 
tion. What was to be done ? - No fuch . thing as walk- 
ing.' — Should we be caught in the fad, w^e are dif- 
graced for even— It would be w^orfe than to be caught 
in that of adultery.— No alternative, however. There, 
was not a coach to be had, and our old coachman 
W'ould not ferve us for one night only.— Philip made 
fad wry faces, and fv/ore the coachman ought to> be 
crucified 5 — but when he faw us bent on walking, he 
was flill more diftreffed ; and I really believe, if we 
had been difcovered, that he would not have ferved 
us any longer. He therefore fet his wits to work, 
how he fhould preferve both his mafler^s honour and 
his ov/n place. Pie at hrfl hefitated^ before he would 



27C^ * TOUR. THROUGH 

take up thor flambeau ; but he would by no means 
be prevailed on to light it. — " What, (faid Philip) do 
do you think I have no more regard for you, than. 
** to expofe you to the eyes of the whole world ? No, 
" no. Gentlemen; if you will bring yourfelves to 
difgrace, you fhall not at leail make me the agent 
^' of fhewing it : but remember, if you are obferved 
walking, no mortal will believe you keep a coach j 
and do you expect after that to be received into 
company — " Well, well, Philip, do as you 
" pleafe, but we muft go to the converfation.'* — ^ 
Philip fhrugged up his flioulders. — " Diabola — che 
faremo I Andiamo dunqiie Signori — andiamo,^^^ — So 
faying, he led the way, and we followed. 

Philip had fludied the geography of the town ; he 
conducted us through lanes only known to himfelf, 
and carefully avoided the great ftreet \ till at lafl we 
arrived at a Kttle entry, Vv'hich leads to the converfa* 
tion rooms 5 here the carriages ufually flop. We 
flipped up the entry in the dark ; when Philip, dart- 
ing into a iliop, lighted his flambeau in an inftant 
and came rufliing before us, bawling put, —" Piazza 
per gli Signori forrefiieri — when all the world 
immediately m.ade way for us. — After we had got 
hito the rooms, he called fo loud after us, aiking at 
what time he fbould order the coach to return ; that, 
overcome partly by rifibiiity, and partly by a con- 
fcioufnefs of the deceit, not one of us had power to 
anfwer him. Philip, however, followed us, and 
repeated the queftion fo often, that we were obliged 
to give him a reply, " a mezzo notte,'^* — At midnighl; 
he came to tell us that the coach was ready. — We 
were curious to fee how he would behave on this 

occafion ; 



SICILY AXD MALTA. 2/1 

occafion ; for it was not half fo difficult to get in im« 
obferved, as to get out ; however, Philip's genius was 
equal to both. — As foon as we got into the entry, he 
run to the door, bawling out Antonio, as hard as he 
could roar — No Antonio anfwered ; and unfortu- 
nately, there was a number of gentlemen and ladies 
going away at the fame time. They begged of us, as 
flrangers, to flep firfi: into our carriage, and abfolute- 
ly refufed to go out before us. Philip was fadly puz- 
zled. — He firft ran up the (Ireet, then he ran down, 
and came back all out of breath, curfing Antonio. 
" That rafcal (faid he) is never in the way, and you 
mull turn him off. — He pretends that he could 
not get up his coach to the door, for the great 
" crowd of carriages, and is waiting about fifty yai ds 
" below. — Voftri Fxcellenzi had better flep down 
" (faid Philip) otherwife you will be obliged to wait 
" here at lead half an hour.*' — We took leave of 
the company, and fet off.— Philip ran like a lamp- 
lighter, till he had almoft paffed the carriages, when 
dafhing his flambeau on the ground, as if by acci- 
dent^ he extinguifned it, and getting into a narrow 
lane, he waited till we came up; when he whifpered 
us to follow him, —and conduced us back, by the 
fame labyrinth we had come ; and thus faved us from 
eternal infamy. — However, he affures us, he will not 
venture it again for his place. 

Now, what do you think of a nation where fuch 
prejudices as thefe prevail ? — It is pretty much the 
cafe all over Italy. — An Italian nobleman is afliamed 
of nothing fo much as making ufe of his legs. — They 
think their dignity augments by the repofe of their 
members ^ and that no man can be truly refpedable, 

that; 



1272 A TOUR THROUGH 

that does not loll away one half of his time on a fofa, 
or in a carriage.—In fhort, a man is obliged to be in- 
dolent and effeminate, not to be defpifed and ridicu- 
lous. — What can we exped of fuch a people ? — Can 
they be capable of any thing great or manly, who 
feem almoft afhamed to appear men 1— I own, it fur- 
palTes my coniprehenfion ; and I blefs my ftars every 
time that I think of honefl John Bull, even with all 
his faults. — "\¥iil you believe me, that, of all that I 
have known in Italy, there are fcarce half a dozen 
that have had fortitude enough to fubdue this moft 
contemptible of all human prejudices ?— The Prince 
of Campo Franco too in this place, is above it. lie is 
a noble fellovv^, and both in his perfon and character, 
greatly refembies our late worthy friend. General 
Craufurd. He is a major-general too, and always 
dreffes in his uniform, which ftill increafes the refem- 
blance. Every time I fee him, he fays or- does fome- 
thing that recalls ftrongly to my mind the idea of our 
noble general. — He laughs at the follies of his coun- 
try, and holds thefe wretched prejudices in that con- 
tempt they deferve. — " \¥hat would the old hardy 

Romans think (faid he, talking on this fubjefl:) 
*^ were they permitted to take a view of the occupa- 

tions of their progeny ? — I iliould like to fee a Bru- 

tus or a Caffius amongfl: us for a little ; — how the 
" clumfy vulgar fellows would be hooted. — I dare 

fay they would foon be glad to return to the fhades 

again." 

Adieu ; — for fome nights paft we have been obfer-. 
ving the courfe of a comet ; and as we were the firfi: 
people here that took notice of it, I affure you, we 
are looked upon as very profound aftronomers. I 

fliali 



STCILY.AND MALTA. 273 

fliall-fay more of it next letter.— We have now got 
out of our abominable inn, and have taken a final 
leave of our French landlady. The count Buihemi, a 
very amiable young man, has been kind enough to 
provide us a lodging on the fea fhore ; one of the 
coolefl and moll agreeable in Palermo. 

Ever yours, &c. 



LETTER XXVI. 

Palermo, July 2d. 

/^UR comet is now gone ; we firfl obferved it on 
the 24th. It had no tail, but was furrounded 
with a faintifh ill defined light, that made it look like 
a bright ftar fhining through a thin cloud. This, in 
all probability, is owing to an atmofphere, around the 
body of the comet, that caufes a refradion of the rays, 
and prevents them from reaching us with that diftin^:- 
nefs we obferve in bodies that have no atmofphere. — 
We were (till the more perfuaded of this two nights 
ago, when we had the good fortune to catch the comet 
•juft paffing clofe by a fmall fixed ftar, whofe light 
was not only confiderably dimm'd, but we thought 
we obferved a fenfible change of place in the ftar, as 
foon as its rays fell into the atmofphere of the comet ; 
owing no doubt to the refradion in paffing through 
that atmofphere. — We attempted to trace the line of 
the comet's courfe, but as we could find no globe, it 
was not poffible to do it with any degree of preciKon. 
— Its diredion was almoft due north, and its velocity 
altogether amazing. — We did not obferve it fo mi* 
nutely the two or three firft nights of its appearance, 
but on the 30th it was at our zenith here, (latitude 

T 38« 



274 Tour through 

38° lo^ longitude from Lond. 13^) about five mfi- 
n ires auer uiidnight, and lail night, the firfl of July, it 
puJid foui* degrees to the eaft of the polar ftar, near- 
ly at 4:^ minutos after eight. So that in lefs than 24- 
hours, it has defcribed a great areh in the heavens^, 
upwards of 50 degrees ; which gives an idea of the 
moft amazing velocity. Suppofing it at the dillance 
of the fun-, at this rate of travelling, it womld go 
round the earth's orbit in lefs than a week. Which 
makes, I- think, confiderably more than fixty millions^^ 
of miles ia a day ; a motion that vaftly furpalTes all 
human comprehenfion. And as this motion conti- 
nues to be greatly accelerated, what mufl- it be, when 
the comet approaches flill nearer to the body of the 
fun ! Laft night a change of place was obfervable in 
the fpace of a few minutes, particularly when it paiT- 
ed near any of the fixed ftars. We attempted to 
find if it had any obfervable parallax, but the vail ra- 
pidity of its motion always prevented us; for what- 
ever fixed flars it Vi^as near in the horizon, it had got 
fo far to the north of them, long before it reached 
the meridian, that the parallax, if there was any,, 
entirely efcaped us. 

I lhall long much to fee the obfervatlons that have 
been made with you^ and in other diftant Gountries, 
on this comet y as from thefe, we lhall probably be 
enabled to form fome judgment of its diflanee from 
the earth : which although we could obferve no paral- 
lax, I am apt to believe was not very great, as its mo- 
tion w^as fo very perceptible.— We could procure no 
inflruments to meafure its apparent diiftance from any 
of the fixed ftars, fo that the only two obfervations any 
thing can be made of, are the time of its paiSng the 
polar ftar laft night,.its diftance from it^. and the time of 

its 



SICILY AND MALTA* 



its arrival at our zenith on the 30th ; this we found 
by applying the eye to a ftraight rod, hung perpen- 
dicularly from a fmall thread. The comet was not dn 
the exadl point of the zenith, but to the befi: of our 
obfervation, about fix or feven minutes to the north 
of it. Laft night it was vifible almoft immediately after 
fun-fet ; long before any of the fixed flars appeared. 
It is now immerfed in the rays of the fun, and has cer- 
tainly got very near his body. If it returns again to the 
regions of fpace. it will probably be vifible in a few 
days, but I own 1 fhould much doubt of any fuch re- 
turn, if it is really by the attractive force of the fun, 
that it is at prefent carried v/ith fuch amazing celerity 
towards him. This is the thijrd comet of this kind? 
whofe return I have had an opportunity of v/atching ; 
but never was fortunate enough to find any of them 
after they had paiTed the fun ; though thofe that 
do really return, appear at that time much more 
luminous than before they approached him. 

The aftronomy of comets, from what I can remem- 
ber of it, appears to be clogged with very great diiE- 
culties, and even fome feeming abfurdities. It is difH- 
cult to conceive, that thefe immenfe bodies, after be- 
^ng drawn to the fun with the velocity of a million 
of miles in an hour ; v/hen they have at lafl come al- 
moft to touch him, fnould then fly off from his body, 
with the fame velocity they approach it ; and that 
too, by the power of this very motion that his -attrac- 
tion has occafioned. — The demonftration of this I re- 
member is very curious and ingenious ; but I wifh it 
may be entirely free from fophiftry. No doubt, in 
bodies moving in curves round a fixed center, as the 
centripetal motion increafes, the centrifugal one in- 
creafes like wife } — but how this motion, which 

T 2 is 



276 A TOUR THROUGH 

is only generated by the former fiiould at lafl 
get the better of the power that produces it ; 
and that too, at the very time this power has 
acquired its utmoft force and energy ; feems fomewhat 
difficult to conceive. It is the only indance I know, 
wherein the efFe6l increafmg regularly with the caufe ; 
at laft whiifl the caufe is ftill acting with full vigour ; 
the effedi entirely gets the better of the caufe, and 
leaves it in the lurch. For, the body attraded^ is at 
lafl carried away with infinite velocity from the at- 
trading body.— By what power is it carried away ? 
— Why, fay our philofophers, by the very power of 
this attradion, wliich has now produced a new power 
fuperior to itfelf, to wit, the centrifugal force. How„ 
ever, perhaps all this may be reconcileable to reafon • 
far be it from me to prefume attacldng fo glorious a 
fyftem as that of attradion. The law that the heaven- 
ly bodies are faid to obferve, in defcribing equal areas 
in equal times, is fuppofed to be demonftrated, and 
by this it would appear, that the centripetal and cen- 
trifugal forces akernately get the maftery of one an- 
other. 

However, I cannot help thinking it fomewhat hard 
to conceive, that gravity fnould always get the better 
of the centrifugal force, at the very time that its adion 
is the fmalleft, when the comet is at its greateft dif- 
tance from the fun; and that the centrifugal force 
fliould get the better of gravity, at the very time that 
its adion is the greateft, when the comet is at its near- 
eft point to the fun. 

To a common obferver it would rather appear, 
that the fun, like an eledric body, after it had once 
charged the objeds that it attraded with its own efflu- 
via 

6 



SICILY AND MALTA. 



via or atmofphere, by degrees lofes its attraclion, and 
at laft even repels them ; and ^ that the attrading 
power, hke what we Kkewife obferve in electricity, 
does not return again till the effluvia imbibed from 
the attracting body is difpelied or diffipated ; when it 
is again attracted, and fo on alternately. For it appears 
(at lead to an unphilofophical obferver) fomewhat 
repugnant to reafon to fay that a body flying off from' 
another body fome thoufands of miles in a minute, 
fhould all the time be violently attracted by that 
body, and that it is even by virtue of this very at- 
traction that it is flying off from it. —Fie would 
probably alk, What more could it do, pray, were 
it really to be repelled ? 

Had the fyflem of electricity, and of repulfion as 
well as attraction, been known and eflablifhed in 
the laft age, I have little doubt that the profound 
genius of Newton would have called it to his aid ; 
and perhaps accounted in a more fatisfaCtory manner, 
for many of the great phccnomena of the heavens. 
To the bed of my remembrance, we know of no 
body that polfeiTes, in any confiderable degree, the 
power of attraction, tjiat in certain circumflances 
does not likewife polTefs the pov/er of repulfion,— 
The magnet, the tourmahn, amber, glafs, and every 
electrical fubftance. — Now, from analogy, as we find 
the fun fo powerfully endowed with attraction, why 
may we not likewife fuppofe him to be poffeffed of 
repulfion ? Indeed, this very power feems to be con- 
felTed by the Newtonians to refide in the fun in a 
moft wonderful degree ; for they aflure us he repels 
the rays of light with fuch amazing force, that, 
they fly upwards of 80 millions of miles in feven 

T 3 miniUcSo 



tyB A rovti THROUGH 

minutes. Now why (bould we confine this repulfion 
to the <ray& of light only ? — As they are mateml^ 
may not other matter brought near his body, be 
affeded in the fame m^anner ? Indeed one would ima- 
gine, that their motion alone would create the moft 
violent repulfion ; and that the force with which 
they are perpetually flowing from the fun, would 
mofl efFedually prevent every other body from ap- 
proaching him ; for this we find is the conilant 
efFed of a rapid dream of any other matter. — But 
let us examine a httle more his elFeds on comets. 
The tails of thefe bodies, are probably their atmof- 
pheres rendered highly electrical, either from the 
violence cf their motion, or from their proximity to 
the fun.— Of all the bodies we know, there is none 
in fo conflant and fo violent an electrical ftate, as 
the higher regions of our ov/n atmofphere. Of this 
I have long been convinced ; for, fend up a kite 
with a fmali wire about its ftring^ only to the height 
of 12 or 1300 feet, and at all times it will produce 
fire, as I have found by frequent experience ; fome- 
times when the air was perfedly clear, without a cloud 
in the hemifphere ; at other times, when it was thick 
and hazy, and totally unfit for eleclrical operations be- 
low. Now as this is the cafe at fo fmall a height, and 
as we find the effed: ftiil grows ftronger, in proportion 
as the kite advances, (for I have fometimes obferved, 
that a little blaft of wind, fuddenly raifmg the kite 
about a hundred feet, has more than doubled the 
effeO:} what muft it be in very great elevations ? — • 
Indeed we may often judges of it from the violence 
with which the clouds are agitated, from the meteors 
formed above the region of the clouds, and particu- 
larly 



SICILY AND MALTA. 



larly from the aurora borealis, which has been ob- 
ferved to have much the fame colour and appearance 
as the matter that forms the tails of comets. 

Now what mufl be the efFed of fo vaft a body as 
our atmofphere, made ftrongly eledricai, when it 
happens to approach any other body ? — ^It mud always 
be either violently attraded or repelled, according to 
the pofitive or negative quality (in the iangmage of 
electricians) of the body that it approaches. 

It has ever been obferved that the tails of comets 
(jufl: as we fhoiild exped, from a Tery light fluid 
body, attached to a foiid heavy one) are drawn after 
the comets, as long as they are at a diftance from the 
fun ; but as foon -as the <:omet gets near fals body the 
tail veers about to that fide of the comet that is in 
the oppofite diredion from the fun, and no longer 
follows the comet, but continues its motion ladeways, 
oppofmg its whole length to the medium through 
which it paffes, rather than allow it in any degree 
to approach the fun. Indeed^ its tendency to follow 
the body of the comet is ftill obfervable, were it not 
prevented by fome force fuperior to that tendency : for 
the tail is always obferved to bend a little to that 
fide from whence the comet is flying. This perhaps 
is fome proof too, that it does not move in an abfo- 
lute vacuum. 

When the comet reaches its perihelion, the ta^ 
is generally very much lengthened, perhaps by the 
rarefadion from the heat ; — perhaps by the increafe 
of the fun's repulfion, or that of his atmofphere. It 
ftill continues projeded, exadiy in the oppofite di- 
redion from the fun ; and when the comet moves off 
again to the regions of fpace^ the tail, inftead of fol- 

T 4 lowing 



28o 



A TOUR THROUGH 



lowing it, as it did on its approach, is projeded a vafl 
way before it, and (till keeps the body of the comet 
exadly oppofed betwixt it and the fun ; till by de- 
grees, as the diftance increafes, the length of the 
tail is diminiihed ; the repulfion probably becoming 
weaker and weaker. 

It has likewife been obferved, that the length of 
thefe tails are commonly in proportion to the proxi- 
mity of the comet to the fun. That of i 680 threw out 
a train that v/ould almod: have reached from the fun 
to the earth. If this had been attraded by the fun,, 
would it not have fallen upon his body ? when the 
comet at that time was not one-fourth of his diameter 
didant from him ; but inftead of this, it was darted 
away to the oppofite fide of the heavens, even with 
a greater velocity than that , of the comet itfelf — -Now 
what can this be owing to, if not to a repulfive power 
in the fun, or his atmofphere ? 

And, indeed, it would at firfl appear but little 
lefs abfurd, to fay that the tail of the comet is all 
this time violently attraded by the fun, although it- 
be driven away in an oppofite diredion from him, 
than to fay the fame of the comet itfelf. It is true, 
this repulfion feems to begin much fooner to afFed the 
tail, than the body of the comet ; v/hich is fuppofed 
always to pafs the fun before it begins to fly away 
from him, which is by no means the cafe with the 
tail. The repnlfive force, therefore, (if there is any 
fuch) is in a much lefs proportion than the attractive 
one, and probably juft onlyenoyghto counterbalance 
the latter, v/hen thefe bodies are in their perihelions, 
and to turn them fo much afide-, as to prevent their 
falling into the body of the' fun. The projedile force 



SICILY AND MALTA. 



281 



they have acquired will then carry them cut to the 
heavens, and repulHon probably diminifhing as they 
recede from the fun's atmofphere, his attraction will 
again take place and retard their motion regularly, 
till they arrive at their apheiia, v/hen they once more 
begin to return to him. 

I don't know how you will like all this — Our 
comet has led me a dance I very httle thought of ; 
and 1 believe I fhould have done better to fend it 
at once into the fun, and had done within it : and, 
that, indeed, I am apt to believe, will be its fate. 
For as this comet has no tail, there is, of confequence, 
no apparent repulfion. If it was repelled, its atmofr 
phere like the others, would be driven away in the 
oppofite direction from the fun ; I therefore do not 
fee any polfible method it has of efcaping. 

Thefe comets are certainly bodies of a very dif- 
ferent nature from thofe with tails, to which indeed 
they appear even to bear a much lefs refemblance 
than they do to planets : and it is no fmall proof of 
the little progrefs we" have made in the knowledge of 
the univerfe, that they have not as yet been diftin- 
guiihed by a different name. 

This is the thu'd kind of body that has been dif- 
covered in our fydem, that ail appear elfentially dif- 
ferent from each other, that are probably regulated 
by difftrrent laws, and intended for very different pur- 
pofes. — How much will pofterity be aflonifhed at 
our ignorance, and wonder that this fyflem fliould 
have exifled for fo many thoufand years, before we 
were in the lead acquainted vv'ith one half of it, or 
had even invented names to diftinguifh its different 
members ! 

I have 



I have Ro doubt, that in future ages, the .number 
of the cometSg the form of their orbits, and time of 
their revokitionsj will be as clearly demcnftrated as 
that of the planets* It is our countrj'^man^ Dr. Hal- 
ley, who has begun this great work, which may be 
confidered juft now as in iis eariieil infancy.— Thefe 
bodies, too^ with thick atmofpheresg but without tailsj> 
• mil likewife have their proper places afcertained^ 
and will no longer be confounded with bodies to 
which they bear no refemblance or connexion. 

Comets with tails have feidom been vifible, but 
■on their receis from the fun. It is he that kindies 
them up^ and gives them that aiamiing appearance 
in the heavenso— On the contrary^ thofe without tails 
have feidom, perhaps never, been obferved but on 
their approach to him, I don^t recoiled any whofe 
return has been tolerably well afcertained, I re- 
meniber^ indeed 3 a few years ago, a fmall one, that 
V12.5 (did to have been difcovered by a telefcope, after 
it had paiTed the fun, but never more became vifible 
to the naked eye. This alfertion is eafily made, and 
nobody can contradict it ; but it does not at all ap- 
pear probable, that it ihould have been fo much lefs 
luminoiTS after it had p^iHed the fun, than before it ap- 
proached him ; and 1 will own to you, when I have 
heard that the return of thefe comets had efcaped the 
eyes of the moll acute aflronomers, I have been tempt- 
€d to think, that they did not return at all, but were 
abforbed in the body of the fun, which their violent 
motion towards him feemed to indicate.- — Indeed, I 
have often wifhed that this difcovery might be made, 
as it would in fome meafure account for what has as 
yet been looked upon as unaccountable : that the fun, 

notwithflanding 



SICILY AND MALTA. 283 

notwithflanding his daily wade, from enlightening 
the univerfe, never appears diminifhed either in fize 
or light. — Surely this wafte mud be immenfej and werer 
there not in nature fome hidden provifion for fup- 
plying it, in the fpace of fix thoufand years, fup- 
pofing the world to be no older, the planets muft 
have got to a much greater diftance from his body, by 
the vaft diminution of his attradion ; they mufl: like wife 
have moved much flower, and confequently the length 
of our year muft have been greatly increafed.— Nothing 
of all this feems to be the cafe : the diameter of the fun 
is the fame that ever it was : he neither appears dimi- 
nifhed, nor our diflance from him increafed : his light, 
heat, and attraction feem to be the fame as ever ; and 
the motion of the planets round him is performed in. 
the fame time ; of confequence, his quantity of matter 
ftill continues the fame.— -How then is this vail wafle 
fupplied ? ~ May there not be millions of bodies at- 
tracted by him, from the boundlefs regions of fpace, 
that are never perceived by us ? Comets, on their 
road to him, have fever al times been accidentally dif- 
covered by telefcopes, that were never feen by the na- 
ked eye. — Indeed, the number of black fpots on the 
fun feem to indicate that there is ahvays a quantity of 
matter there, only in a preparation to give light, but 
not yet refined and pure enough to throw off rays 
like the reft of his body. For I think we can hardly 
conceive, that any matter can remain long on the 
body of the fun without becoming luminous ; and fo 
we find thefe fpots often difappear, that is to fay, the 
matter of which they are compofed is then perfeclly 
melted, and has acquired the fame degree of heat 
and light as the reft of his body. — Even in our 

glafs- 



aE4 A TOUR THROUGH 

glafshoufes, and other very hot furnaces, moft Torts of 
matter very foon acquire the fame colour and ap- 
pearance as the matter in fufion, and emit rays of 
light like it. But how much more mufl: this be the 
cafe at thefurface of the fun I when Newton computes^ 
that even at many thoufand miles diflance from it, a 
body would acquire a degree of heat tv/o thoufand 
iimes greater than that of red hot iron. It has gene- 
rally been underflood, that he faid the great comet 
really did acquire this degree of heat ; but this is 
certainly a miflake: Sir ifaac's exprelTion, to the bed 
of my remembrance, is, that it might have • acquired' 
ii% And if we confider the very great fize of that 
body, and the ihort time of its- perihelion, the thing 
will, appear irnpoffible : nor indeed do I think v/e can 
conceive, that a body only as large as our earth, and 
the fpots on the fun are ^ often much larger, could be 
reduced to fufjon, even on his furfece, but after a 
yery confiderable fpace of^time. 

No¥% as it feeais. to be univerfally fuppofedj that 
the rays of light are really particles of matter, pro- 
ceeding from the body of the fun, I think it is 
abfolutely neceffary that v/e fhould fall upon fome 
fuch method of fending him back a fupply of thofe 
rays, otherwife let liis flock be ever fo great, it muft 
5it lail be exhaulfed.o 

I v/iPa aftronomers would obferve whether the fpots 
on the fun are not increafed after the appearing of 
thefe comets ; and wdiether thefe fpots' do not difap- 
pear again by degrees, like a body that is gradually 
iTieked dov/n in a furnace. But there is another con- 
fideration too, which naturally occurs : pray what 
•becotnes of all this vaft quantiiy of matter after it k 
' ' ^ reduced 



I 



SICILY AND MALTA. ; ^B^ 

reduced to light ? Is it ever colleded again Into folid 
bodies ; or is it for ever loft and difiipated, after it has 
made its journey from the fun to the object it 
illuminates ? It is fomewhat ftrange, that of all that 
irnmenfe quantity of matter poured down on us dur- 
ing the day, that pervades and fills the whole univerfe ; 
the moment we are deprived of the luminous body, 
the whole of it, in an inftant, feems to be annihilated : 
— in fhort, there are a number of difficulties attending 
the common received doQ:rine of light ; nor do I 
think there is any point in natural philofophy the 
folution of which is lefs fatisfadory. If we fuppofe 
every ray to be a ftream of particles of matter, dart- 
ing from the luminous body, how can we conceive 
that thefe ftreams may be interfected and pierced by 
other ftreams of the fame matter ten thoufand thou- 
fand different ways, without caufin^r the leaft confufion 
either to the one or the other ? for in a clear night 
we fee diftindlly any particular ftar that we look at, 
although the rays coming from that ftar to our eye 
is pierced for millions of miles before it reaches us, 
by millions of ftream^s of the fame rays, from every 
other fun and ftar in the univerfe. Now fuppofe, iii 
any other matter that v/e know of, and one would 
imagine there ought at leaft to be fome fort of ana- 
logy ; fuppofe, I fay, we fnould only attempt to make 
two ftreams pafs one anciher ; v/ater, for inftance, or 
air, one of the pureft and the moft fuiid fubftances we 
are acquainted with, we find it totally impoftible. — 
The two ftreams wall mutually interrupt and incom- 
mode one another, and the ftrongcft will ever carry 
off the weakeft into its own dircaion ; but if a 
ft ream of light is hit by ten thoufand other ftreams, 

moving 



2S6 



A TOUR THROUGH 



moving at the rate of ten millions of miles in a 
minute, it is not even bent by the impreflion, nor 
in the fniallell degree diverted from its courfe ; but 
reaches us with the fame precifion and regularity, as 
if nothing had interfered with it. Befides, on the 
fuppofition that light is real particles of matter mov- 
ing from the fun to the earth, in the fpace of feven 
minutes, how comes it to pafs, that with all this 
wonderful velocity, there feems to be no momentum ! 
for it communicates motion to no body that obftruds 
its paifage, and no body whatever is removed by the 
percufTion. — Suppefmg we h'ad never heard of this 
difcovery, and were at once to be told of a current 
of matter flying at the rate of ten millions of miles in 
a minute, and fo large as to cover one half of our 
globe, would we not imagine that the earth muft 
inftantly be torn to pieces by it, or carried off with 
the moil incredible velocity ! It will be objected, that 
the extreme minutenefs of the particles of light pre- 
vents it from having any fuch eife6: ; — ^but as thefe 
particles are in fuch quantity, and fb clofe to each 
other as to cover the furface of every body that is 
oppofed to them, and entirely to fill up that vaft 
fpace betwixt the earth and the fun, this objeclion I 
fhould think in a great meafure falls to the ground. 
The particles of air and of water are likewife 
extremely minute, and a fmall quantity of thefe. 
will produce little or no •efFed, but increafe their 
number, and only give them the millionth part of 
the velocity that is afcribed to a ray of light, and no 
force whatever could be able to withftand them.. 

Adieu. — I have unwarily run myfelf into the very 
deeps of philofophy ; and fmd it rather difficult to 
8 flruggle 



SICILY AND UALTA. 

ffruggle out again. — I afk your pardon, and promife^ 
poffible, for the future, to (leer quite clear of them', 
—I am fare, whatever this^ comet may be to the 
univerfe, ie has beea an ignis fatuus to- me ; for it has 
led me ftrangely out of my roady and bewildered me 
amangft rocks and quickfands, where I was like to 
ftick fifty ames, 

1 have forgot whether or not you are a rigid New- 
tonian ; you; are, I believe I had better recant in- 
time,, for fear of accidents. I know inu is a very 
tender point ; and have feen many of thcfe gentle- 
men, who are good Chriilians too, that can bear 
-^^ith much more temper to hear the divinity of our 
Saviour called in querdon, than that of Sir Ifaac ; 
and look on a Cartefian or a Ptolomean, as a worfe 
fpecies of inftdel than an atheift. 

I remember, when I was at college, to have feeii 
a heretic to their dodrine' of gravity, -very fuddenly 
converted by being toifed in a blanket ^ and another^ 
who denied the law of centrrpetai and centrifugal 
forces, foon brought to affent,. from having the de- 
monftration made upon his ihoulders, by a floae 
whirled at the end of a firing. 

Thefe are powerful arguments, and it is difficult 
to withftand them.— -I cry you merq^— I am v/ilhout 
reach of you at prefent, and you are heartily wel- 
come to wreck your vengeance on my letter. 



28S 



A Tour through 



LETTER XXVII. 

Palermo, July 6di. 

I^ANY of the churches here are extremely rich 
and magnificent. The cathedral (or, as they 
call it, Madre Chiejlf) is a venerable Gothic building, 
and of a large fize ; it is fupported within by eighty 
columns of Oriental granite, and divided into a great 
number of chapels, fome of which are extremely rich, 
particularly that of St. Rofolia, the patronefs of Pa- 
lermo, who is held in greater veneration here, than 
all the perfons of the Trinity ; and, which is ftill 
much more, than even the Virgin Mary herfelf. The 
relics of the faint are preferved in a large box of 
filver, curioufly wrought^ and enriched with precious 
ftpnes. They perform many miracles, and are looked 
upon as the greatefl treafure of the city. They are 
efleemed a moft elFeclual' remedy againll the plague, 
and have often preferved them from that fatal diftem- 
per. The faint gained fo much credit, in faving 
them from the lafl plague of Pvleffina, although it 
was at two hundred miles diftance, that they have, 
out of gratitude, erected a noble monument to her. 
— St. Agatha did as much for Catania, but that city 
has not been fo generous to her. —The other riches 
of this church confift principally in fome bones of 
St. Peter, and a whole arm of St. John the Baptifl.— 
There is likewife a jaw-bone of prodigious efficacy ; 
and fome other bones of leffer note. — ^It contains 
fome things of fmaller confequence, which, however, 

are 



SICILY AND MALTA. 



289 



are not altogether without their merit. The monu- 
ments of their Norman kings, feveral of whom he 
buried here, are of the fineft porphiry, fome of them 
near feven hundred years old, and yet of very 
tolerable workmanfhip. Oppofite to thefe, there is 
a tabernacle of lapis lazuh. It is about fifteen feet 
high, and finely ornamented. Some of the prefents 
made to St. Rofolia, are by no means contemptible. 
A crofs of very large brilliants, from the king of 
Spain, is, I think, the mod confiderable. 

The Sachriftie too is very rich : There are fome 
robes em^broidered with Oriental pearl, that are near 
four hundred years old, and yet look as frefh as if 
done yeflerday. ' • . 

The Jefuits church is equal in magniiicence to any 
thing I have feen in Italy.— -The genius of thofe fa- 
thers appears ftrong in all their v/orks ; one is never 
at a lofs to fmd them out. They have been grofsly 
calumniated ; for they certainly had lefs hypocrify 
than any other order of monks. 

The Chiefa del Pallazzo is entirely encruiled over 
with ancient mofaic ; and the vaulted roof too is all 
of the fame.^ — But it is endlefs to talk of churches. 
Here are upwards of three hundred. — That of Mon- 
reale, about five miles diftant from this city, is the 
next in dignity in the ifland, after the cathedral of 
Palermo. It is nearly of the fame fize, and the 
whole is encrufled with mofaic, at an incredible ex- 
pence. Here are likewife feveral porphiry and marble 
monuments of the firfl kings of Sicily. This cathe- 
dral was built by King William the Good, whofe 
memory is flill held in great veneration amongft the 
Sicilians. 

U "The 



290 A TOUR THROtrOH 

The arcbbifiiop of Monreale, is already looked 
upon as a faint, and indeed he deferves beatification 
better, I believe, than moil of thofe in the calendar. 
His income is very great, of v^hich he referves to 
himfelf juft as much as procures him clothes, and the 
fmipleft kind of food ; all the reft he devotes to cha- 
ritable, pious, and public ufes. He even feems to 
carry this too far, and denies himfelf the moft com- 
mon gratifications of life. Such as fleeping on a 
bed ; a piece of luxury he is faid never to indulge 
himfelf in, but lies every night on draw. — He is, as 
you may believe, adored by the people, who crowd 
in his way as he palTes, to receive his benedidion ; 
which they allege is even of more fovereign efficacy 
than that of the pope. And indeed fo it is, for he 
never fees an object in diftrefs, but he is fure to re- 
lieve him ; not trufting alone to the fpiritual efficacy 
of the bleffing, but always accompanying it with 
fomething folid and temporal : and perhaps this ac- 
companiment is not efteemed the worfl part of it. 
The town and country round Monreale are greatly 
indebted to his liberality ; and in every corner exhi- 
bit marks of his munificence. He has juft nov/ made 
a prefent to the cathedral of a magnificent altar ; 
only about one half of which is finiilied. It is of 
rraffive filver, exquifitely wrought, reprefenting in 
high relief, fome of the principal ftories in the Bible, 
and, I think, will 1be one of the fineft in the world. 
—But w^hat is of much greater utility, he has at his 
own expence m.ade a noble walk the whole way from 
this city to Monreale, which was formerly of very diffi- 
cult accefs, as it ftands near the top of a pretty high 
mountain. The walk is cut with a great deal of judg- 
ment on the fide of this mountain, and winds by eafy 

zig-zags 



SICILY AND MALTA. 29 1 

zig-zags to the top of it. It is adorned with feveral ele- 
gant fountains of water, and is bordered on each fide 
with a variety of flowering fhrubs. — The valley at the 
foot of the mountain is rich and beautiful. It appears one 
continued orange garden for many miles, and exhibits 
an elegant piece of fcenery ; perfuming the air at the 
fame time with the moft delicious odours* ^ — We were 
fo pleafed with this little expedition, that notwithdan- 
ding the heat of the feafon, we could not keep in our 
carriage, but walked almoft the whole of it. 

The city of Palermo for thefe ten days pad has 
been wholly occupied in preparing for the great feail 
of St. Rofolia. And if the fliow is in any degree 
adequate to the expence and trouble it cofls them, it 
muft indeed be a very noble one. I'hey are ere£cing 
an incredible number of arches and pyramids for the 
illuminations. They are of wood ; painted, and ador- 
ned with artifical flowers. Thefe, they tell us, are to 
be entirely covered over with fmall lamps ; fo that 
when feen at a little diftance, they appear like fo many 
pyramids and arches of flame. The .whole Marino, 
and the two great ftreets that divide the city, are to 
be illuminated in this magnificent manner. The num- 
ber of pyramids and arches prepared for thefe ill ami- > 
nations, we are told, exceeds two thoufand. They 
are ere6led on each fide of the flreet, betwixt the 
foot path and the pavement, and run in two right 
lines exa£lly parallel from end to end. Each of thefe 
lines is a mile in length, which makes four miles for 
the whole. The four gates are the villas to thefe 
four ftreets, and are to be highly decorated and illu- 
minated. From the fquare in the centre of the city, 
the whole of this yaft illumination can be feen at 

U 1 once 5 



^g2 A TOUR THROUGH 

once ; and they affure us the grandeur of it exceeds 
all belief. — The whole of the Marino is to be drelTed 
out in the fame manner ; and for thefe three weeks 
pad, they have been employed in ereding two great 
theatres for fireworks. One of thefe fronts the - vice- 
roy's palace, and is almoft equal to it in fize. The 
other is laid on piles driven in the fea, exactly op- 
pofite to the great orcheftra in the centre of the 

Marino.— -Befides thefe, they are building an 

enormous engine, which they call St. Rofolia's tri- 
umphal car. From the fize of it, one would imagine 
it were for ever to remain in the fpot where it is 
erected ; but they aiTure us, it is to be drawn in tri- 
umph through the city. It is indeed mounted upon 
wheels, but it does not appear that any force what- 
ever can be able to turn them. 

I own my curiofity increafes every day to fee the 
fmgular exhibition. The car is already higher than 
moft houfes in Palermo, and they are ftill adding 
to its height. But the part of the (how they value 
themfelves the moll: on, is the illumination of the 
great church ; this they affirm is fuperfor to any thing 
in the world ; the illumination of St. Peter's itfelf not 
excepted. The preparations for it, are indeed am.a„ 
zing. Thefe were begun about a month ago, and 
will not be finiOied till towards the laft days of the 
feafl. The whole of the cathedral, both roof and 
wails, is entirely covered over with mirrour, intermix- 
ed Vvdth gold and filver paper, and an inhnite variety 
of artificial flowers. All thefe are arranged and diC 
pofed, in my opinion, with great tafte and elegance ; 
none of them predominate, but they are intermingled 
every where in a juft proportion, 

Every 



SICILY AND MALTA. ^93 

Every altar, chapel, and column are finiilied in 
the fame manner, which takes oiF from the littlenefs 
of the particular ornaments, and ' gives an air of 
grandeur and uniformity to the whole. The roof is 
hung with innumerable lullres filled with wax candles, 
and, I am perfuaded, when the whole is lighted up, it 
muft be equal to any palace either in the Fairy Tales 
or the Arabian Nights Entertainment. Indeed it 
feems pretty much in the lame (lyle too, for all is 
gold, filver, and precious ftones. The faints are 
dreifed out in all their glory, and the fairy queen her- 
felf was never finer than^is St. Rofolia.-— The people 
are lying yonder in crowds before her, praying v/ith 
all their might.— I dare fay, for one petition offered 
to God Almighty, flie has at leail an hundred. 

We were juft now remarking, with how little re« 
fpe6l they pafs the chapels dedicated to God ; they 
hardly deign to give a little inclination of the head ; 
but when they come near thofe of their favourite 
faints, they bow down to the very ground : Ignorance 
and fuperftition have ever been infeparable believe 
in their hearts they think he has already reigned long 
enough 5 and would be glad to have a change in the 
government: — and every one of them (like the poor 
"W elchman who thought he fhould be fuccecded by 
Sir Watkin Williams) is fully perfuaded, that his own 
favourite faint is the true heir apparent. Indeed they 
already give them the precedency on moft occafions 5 
not in proceffions and affairs of etiquette ; there they 
think it would not be decent ; but in their more pri- 
vate affairs, they generally pay the compliment to the 
faint : — Yet in their infcriptions on churches and 
chapels, (which one would think are public enough) 

U 3 whea 



294 



A TOUR THROUGH 



when they are dedicated to God and any particular 
faint, they have often ventured to put the name of 
the faint firft.-— Sando Januario, et Deo Opt. Max. 
taking very opportunity of raifmg their dignity, 
though at the expence of that of God himfelf. 



LETTER XXVIIL 



Palermo, Jiilv yth. 
HAVE been inquiring who this fame St. Rofolia 
may be, who has become fo very capital a per- 
fonage in this part of the world ; but, notwithftanding 
their adoring her with fuch fervency, I have found 
none that can give any tolerable account of her faints 
fhip. They refer you to the moft fabulous legends, 
that even differ widely in their accounts of her. And? 
after ail the offerings they have made, the churches 
they have built, and monuments they have raifed to 
her memory, I think it is far from being improbable, 
that there really never did exifl: fuch a perfon. I 
went through all the bookfelier's fhops, but could 
find nothing relative to her, except an epic poem, of 
which file is the heroine, It is in the Sicilian lan- 
guage ; and is indeed one of the greateft curiofities I 
have met with. The poet fets her at once above all 
other faints except the Virgin, and it feems to be with 
the greated relu dance, that he can prevail upon him- 
felf to yield the pas even to her. I find, from this 
curious compofition, and the notes upon it, that St. 
Rofolia was niece to King William the Good : That 
ilie began very early to dilplay fymptoms of her fanc- 

tity. 



SICILY AND MALTA. 295 

tity. That at fifteen fhe deferted the world, and dif- 
claimed all human fociety. She retired to the moun- 
tains on the weft of the city ; and was never more 
heard of for about five hundred years. She difap- 
peared in the year 1 1 59. The people thought fhe 
had been taken up to heaven ; till in the year 1624? 
during the time of a dreadful plague, a holy man 
had a vifion, that the faint's bones were lying in a 
cave near the top of the Monte Pelegrino. That if 
they were taken up with due reverence, and carried 
in procefTion thrice round the walls of the city, they 
fhould immediately be delivered from the plague. 
At firft little attention was paid to the holy man, and 
he was looked upon as little better than a dreamer ; 
however, he prefifted in his ftory, grew noify, and 
got adherents. The magiftrates, to pacify them, fent 
to the Monte Pelegrino ; when lo the mighty difco. 
very was made ! — the facred bones were found, — the 
city was freed from the plague,- — and St. Rofolia 
became the greateft faint in the calendar. — Churches 
were reared, altars were dedicated, and m.iniilers ap- 
pointed to this new divinity, whofe dignity and confe- 
quence have ever fmce been fupported at an incredi- 
ble expence. Now I think it is more than probable 
that thefe bones, that are now fo much reverenced, 
and about which this great city is at prefent in fuch a 
buftle, belong to fome poor wretch that perhaps was 
murdered, or died for want in the mountains. The 
holy man probably could have given a very good 
account of them. 

It is really aftonifhing to think, what animals fu- 
perftition makes of mankind. — I dare fay, the bones 
of St. Rofolia are jufl as little entitled to the honours 

U 4 they 



A TOUR •THROUGH 



they receive, as thofe of poor 5/. Viar^ which were 
found fomewhere in Spain under a broken tombflone, 
where thefe were the only legible letters. The fliory 
I think, is told by Dr. Middleton. The priefts 
found that the bones had an excellent knack at 
working miracles, and were of opinion that this, to- 
gether with the 5. Viar on the ftone, was proof fuf- 
ficient of his fandity. He continued long in high 
eftimation, and they drew no inconfiderable revenue 
from his abilities ; till unfortunately they petitioned 
the pope to grant him fonie immunities. The pope 
(Leo the Tenth, I think), not entirely fatisfied with 
regard to his faintfliip, defired to be informed of his 
pretenfions.— A lift of his miracles was fent over, 
accompanied by the ftone with 5. Viar upon it. The 
firft part of the proof was fuftained ; but the anti- 
quaries difcovered the fragment to be part of the 
tomb-ftone of a (Roman) prafe(5lus viarum^ or over- 
feer of the high roads ; to whofe bones they had 
been fo much indebted : and poor St. Viar, though 
probably an honefter man than moft of them, was 
ordered to be ftruck out of the calendar. 

The people of fafliion here hold the fuperftition of 
the vulgar in great contempt ; and perhaps that very 
fuperilition is one principle caufe of their infidelity. 
Indeed I have ever found, that deifni is moft preva- 
lent in thofe countries where the people are the wild- 
eft and moft bigotted. — A refined and cultivated 
underftanding, iliocked at their folly, thinks it cannot 
poiTibly recede too far from it, and is often tempted 
to fly to the very oppofite extreme. — When reafon is 
much offended by any particular dogma of faith or 
ad of worftiip, ihe is but too apt, in the midft of her 

difguft. 



SICILY AND MALTA. 297 

difgud, to rejeft the whole. The great misfortune 
is, that, in thefe countries, the mod violent champions 
for religion are commonly the moft weak and igno- 
rant : — And certainly, one weak advocate in any 
caufe, but more particularly in a myilerious one, that 
requires to be handled with delicacy and addrefs, is 
capable of hurting it more, than fifty of its warmed 
opponents. — Silly books, that have been written by 
weak well-meaning men, in defence of religion, I 
am confident have made more infidels than all the 
works of Bolingbroke, Shaftefbury, or even Voltaire 
himfelf : they only want to make people believe 
that there are fome ludicrous things to be faid againfl 
it ; but thefe grave plodding blockheads do all they 
can to perfuade us that there is little thing to be faid 
for it. — The univerfal error of thefe gentry is, that 
they ever attempt to explain, and reconcile to fenfe 
and reafon, thofe very myfteries that the firfl princi- 
ples of our religion teach us are incomprehenfible ; 
and of confequence neither objects of fenfe nor 
reafon. — I once heard an ignorant prieft declare, that 
he did not find the lead difficulty, in conceiving the 
myflery of the Trinity, or that of incarnation ; and 
that he would undertake to make them plain to the 
meaneft capacities. A gentleman prefent told him, 
he had no doubt he could, to all fuch capacities as 
his own. The prieft took it as a compliment, and 
made him a bow. — Now don't you think, that a few 
fuch 'teachers as this, muft hurt religion more by 
their zeal, than all its opponents can by their wit ? 
Had thefe heroes ftill kept behind the bulwarks of 
faith and of myflery, their adverfaries never could 
have touched them j but they have been foolifh enough 

to 



A TOUR THROUGH 

to abandon thefe Ilrong holds, and dared them forth 
to combat on the plain fields of reafon and of fenfe, 
—A fad piece of generaliliip indeed : fuch defenders 
niuft ever ruin the beft caufe. 

But although the people of education here defpife 
the wild fuperilition of the vulgar, yet they go re- 
gularly to mafs, and attend the ordinances with 
great refped and decency , and they are much plea- 
fed with us for our conformity to their cuftoms, and 
for not appearing openly to defpife their rites and 
ceremonies. I own, this attention of theirg, not to 
offend weak minds, tends m^uch to give us a favour- 
able opinion both of their hearts and underftandings. 
They don't make any boail of their infidelity ; neither 
do they pefter you with it as in France, where it is 
perpetually buzz'd in your ears^ and where, al- 
though they pretend to believe lefs, they do in fad 
believe more than any nation on the continent. 

I know of nothing that gives one a worfe opinion 
of a man, than to fee him make a fhow and parade 
of his contempt for things held facred : it is an open 
infult to the judgment of the public, A countryman 
of ours, about two years ago, offended egregioufly 
in this article, and the people ftiil fpeak of him both 
with contempt and deteftation. It happened one day, 
in the great church, during the elevation of the hoft, 
when every body eife were on their knees, that he 
flill kept (landing, without any appearance of refped 
to the ceremony. A young nobleman that was near 
him expreffed his furprife at this. " It is flrange, 
" Sir, (faid he) that you who have had the education 

of a gentleman, and ought to have the fentiments of 

oncj fhould chufe thus to give fovery public offence.'* 

« Why, 



SICILY AND MALTA.' 299 

Why, Sir, (faid the Englifhrnan") I don't believe in 

tranfubftantiation." — " Neither do I, Sir, (replied 

the other) and yet you fee I kneel.'* 

Adieu. I am called away to fee the preparations 
for the feaft. In my next I fliall probably give you 
fome account of it. 

P. S. I have been watching with great care the re- 
turn of our comet, but as yet I have difcovered no- 
thing of it : I obferve too , with a very indifferent 
glafs, feveral large round fpots on the fun's di(k, and 
am far from being certain that it is not one of them : 
but I fhali not alarm you any more with this fubjed. 



LETTER XXIX. 

Palermo, July icth. 
I^N Sunday, the 8th, we had the long expeded 
Sirocc wind, which, although our expedations 
had been raifed pretty high, yet I own it greatly ex- 
ceeded them. Ever fince we came to our new lodging, 
the thermometer has flood betwixt 72 and 74; at 
our old one, it w^as often at 79 and 80 ; fo great is 
the difference betwixt the heart of the city and the 
fea-fliore. At prefent, our windows, not only front 
to the North, but the fea is immediately under them, 
from whence we are conftantly refrefhed by a de- 
lightful cooling breeze. Friday and Saturday were 
uncommonly cool, the mercury never being higher 
than 72i; and although the Sirocc is faid to have 
fet in early on Sunday morning, the air in our apart- 
ments, 



3O0 A TOUR THROUGH 

ments, which are very large, with high cielings, was 
not in the leafh afFeded by it at eight o'clock, when 
I rofe. — I opened the door without having any fuf- 
picion of fuch a change; and indeed I never was 
more aftonifhed in my life. — The firfl blafl of it on 
my face felt like the burning fteam from the mouth 
of an oven. I drew back my head and fhut the door, 
calling out to Fullarton, that the whole atmofphere 
was in a flame. However, we ventered to open ano- 
ther door that leads to a cool platform, where we 
ufually walk ; this was not expofed to the wind ; 
and here I found the heat much more fupportable 
than I could have expefted from the firfl fpecimen I 
had of it at the other door. It felt fbmewhat like the 
fubterraneous fweating ftoves at Naples ; but ftill 
much hotter. — In a few minutes we found every fibre 
greatly relaxed, and the pores opened to fuch a de- 
gree, that we expe£ted foon to be thrown into a 
profufe fweat. I went to examine the thermometer, 
and found the air in the room as yet fo little afFeded, 
that it flood only at 73. The proceeding night it 
was at 72|, I took it out to the open air, when it 
immediately rofe to 110, and foon after to 112; and 
I am confident, that in our old lodgings, or any 
where within the city, it mufl have rifen feveral de- 
grees higher. The air was thick and heavy, but the 
barometer was little afFeded ; it had fallen only about 
a line. The fun did not once appear the whole day, 
otherwife I am perfuaded the heat mufl have been in- 
fupportable \ on that fide of our platform which is 
expofed to the wind, it was with difficulty we could 
bear it for a few minutes. Here I expofed a little 
pomatum which was melted down^ as if I had laid 



SICILY AND MALTA. 30I 

It before the fire. I attempted to take a walk in the 
ftreet, to fee if any creature was ftirring, but I found 
it too much for me, and was glad to get up ftairs 
again. 

This extraordinary heat continued till 3 o'clock in 
the afternoon, when the wind changed at once, al- 
mofl to the oppolite point of the compafs, and all the 
reft of the day it blew ftrong from the fea. It is im- 
poffible to conceive the different feeling of the air. In- 
deed, the fudden change from heat to cold is almofl 
as inconceivable as that from cold to heat. The cur- 
rent of this hot air had been flying for many hours 
from South to North ; and I had no doubt, that the 
atmofphere, for many miles round, was entirely com-, 
pofed of it ; however, the wind no fooner changed 
to the North, than it felt extremely cold, and we 
were foon obliged to put on our clothes, for till then 
we had been almoft naked. In a fhort time the ther- 
m.ometer funk to 82, a degree of heat that in Eng- 
land would be thought almoft infupportable, and yet 
all that night we were obliged, merely from the cold, 
to keep up the glalfes of our coach ; fo much were 
the pores opened and the fibres relaxed by thefe few 
hours of the Sirocc. Indeed, I had expofed myfelf 
a good deal to the open air, as I was determined to 
feel what effed it would produce on the human body* 
At firft I thought it muft have been impofTible to bear 
it ; but I foon difcovered my miftake, and found, 
that where I was fheltered from the wind, I could 
walk about without any great inconveniency ; neither 
did it produce that copious fweat I expedted ; it 
occafioned indeed a violent perfpiration, which was 
only attended with a flight moifture on the fkin ; but 

I fup- 



302 A TOUR THROIjFCJH 

I ^uppofe, if I had put on my clothes, or taken the 
leait exercife, it foon would have brought it on. 

I own to you my curiofity with regard to the Sirocc 
is now thoroughly fatisfied ; nor do I at all wifh for 
another vifit of it during our flay in Sicily. Many 
of our acquaintance who had been promiling us this 
regalo^ they call it, came crowding about us as 
foon as it was over, to know what we thought of it. 
They own it has been pretty violent for the time it 
lafled ; but afTure us they have felt it more fo, and 
likewife of a much longer duration ; however, it 
feldom lads more than thirty-fix or forty hours, fo 
that the w^alls of the houfes have not time to be 
heated throughout, otherwife they think there could 
be no fuch thing as living ; however, from what I 
felt of it, 1 beheve they are miftaken. Indeed, had 
I been fatisfied with the firft blaft, (which is gene- 
rally the cafe with them) and never more ventured 
out in it, I certainly fhould have been of their opi- 
nion. They laughed at us for expofing ourfelves fo 
long to it ; and were furprifed that our curiofity 
ihould lead us to make experiments at the expence 
of our perfons. They afTure us, that during the time 
it lails, there is not a mortal to be feen without 
doors, but thofe whom neceflity obliges. All their 
doors and windov/s are fhut clofe, to prevent the ex- 
ternal air from entering ; and where there are no 
•window-fhutters, they hang up wet blankets on the 
infide of the window. The fervants are conflantly 
employed in fprinkling v/ater, through their apart- 
ments, to prei^rve the air in as temperate a flate as 
pofTible ; and this is no difficult matter here, as I am 
told there is not a houfe in the city that has not a 

fountain 



SICILY AND MALTA. 303 

fountain within it. By thefe means the people of 
fafliion fuffer very little from the Sirocc, except the 
ftrid confinement to which it obliges them. 

It is fomewhat fmgular, that notwithftanding the 
fcorching heat of this wind, it has never been known 
to produce any epidemical diilempers, nor indeed 
bad confequences of any kind to the health of the 
people. It is true, they feel extremely weak and 
relaxed during the time it blows, but a few hours of 
the Tramontane, or North wind, which generally 
fucceeds it, foon braces them up, and- fets them 
to rights again. Now, in Naples, and in many other 
places in Italy, W'here its violence is not to be com- 
pared to this, it is often attended wdth putrid difor- 
ders, and feldom fails to produce almofl a general 
dejection of fpirits. It is true, indeed, that there the 
Sirocc lafts for many days ; nay, even for w^eeks ; 
fo that, as its effects are different, it probably pro- 
ceeds likewife from a difierent caufe. 

I have not been able to procure any good account 
of this very fingular objeft in the climate of Palermo. 
The caufes they afugn for it are various, though none 
of them, I think, altogether fatisfaclory. 

I have feen an old fellovv here, w^ho has written 
upon it. He fays, it is the fame wind that is fo dread- 
ful in the fandy defarts of Africa, v/here it fomietimes 
proves mortal in the fpace of half an hour. He 
alleges that it is cooled by its panage over the fea, 
which entirely difarms it of thefe tremendous effeds, 
before it reaches Sicily. But if this were true, we 
fhould exped to find it mofl violent on that fide of 
the ifland that lies neareft to Africa, which is not the 
cafe : — though indeed it is poffible that its heat may 

be 



504 A TOUR THROUGH 

be again Increafed by its pafTage acrofs the ifland ; for 
it has ever been found much more violent at Paler- 
mo^ which is near the mofl northern point, than any- 
where elfe in Sicily. — Indeed, I begin to be more 
reconciled to this reafon, when I conhder that this 
city is almoft furrounded by high mountains, the 
ravines and vallies betwixt which are parched up and 
burning hot at this feafon. Thefe likewife contain 
innumerable fprings of warm water, the flreams of 
which mufl tend greatly to increafe the heat, and 
perhaps likewife to foften the air, and difarm it of its 
noxious qualities. It is a pradice too, at this feafon, 
to burn heath and brufhwood on the mountains, which 
mufl ftill add to the heat of the air. 

Some gentlemen who were in the country told me, 
that they walked out immediately after the Sirocc, 
and found the grafs and plants, that had been green 
the day before, were become quite brown, and crack- 
led under their feet as if dried in an oven. 

I fhall add for your amufement, a journal of the 
weather fince we came to Palermo. The barometer 
has continued conflantly within a line or two of the 
fame point, 29I — and tht^ Iky has been always clear, 
except the day of the Sirocc and the 26th of June, 
when we had a pretty fmart fiiower of rain for two 
hours ; fo that I think I have nothing farther to do, 
but to mark the heights of the thermometer. 

Thermometer. 

June 17 - - 73i 

18 - - - 74 

19 - - - 75 

20 - - - 76 

June 



SICILY AND MALTA. 



June 





Thermometer. 


21 


75i 


22 


- - 77 


^3 


7'5i 


24 


- 77 


25 


77 


26 


77f 


27 


77 


28 


77f 


29 


- 77i 


30 




I 


- 79 


2 


80 


3 


8oi 



July 



4 At our new lodgings on the 

fea-fide fronting the North, 74 

5 - - ' 73 

^ 6 - - 7^1 

7 / ^ - - 72i 

8 The Sirocc wind, - - 112 
In the afternoon, - - 82 

9 - - - 79 

lo • - - - 78 . 

The more I confider the extreme violence of this 
heat, the more I am furprifed that we were able to 
bear it with fo little inconvenience. We did not even 
feel that depreflion of fpirits that commonly attends 
very great heats with us, — The thermometer rofe 
40 degrees, or very near it ; and it happens fmgu- 
larly enough, that before the Sirocc began, it flood 
juft about 40 degrees above the point of congelation; 
fo that in the morning of the 8th of July, the heat 

X increafed 



3o6 



A TOUR THROUGH 



increafed as much, almofl inllantaneouflyj as it ge- 
nerally does during the whole time that the fun moves 
from tropic to tropic j for the diflference of 7 2 and 
112 is the fame as between the freezing point and 
72 ; or between a cold day in winter, and a warm 
one in fummer. 

Yefterday we had a great entertainment in the 
palace of the Prince Partana, from the balcony of 
which the viceroy reviewed a regiment of Swifs, the 
bed I have yet feen in the NeapoHtan fervice. They 
are really a fine body of men, and, notvvithflanding _ 
the violence of the heat, v/ent through their motions 
with great fpirit. They had two field-pieces on each 
flank, which were extremely well ferved ; and the 
evolutions were performed with more precifion and 
fteadinefs than one generally meets with, except in 
England or Germany. The grenadiers were fur- 
nillied with falfe grenades, which produced every 
eifed of real ones, except that of doing mif* 
chief. The throwing of thefe was the part of the 
entertainment that feemed to pleafe the moft ; and 
the grenadiers took care to direct them fo, that their 
eifecl fhould not t e loft. When a number of them 
fell together amongft a thick crowd of the mobility, 
which was commonly the cafe, it afforded an enter- 
taining fcene enough, for they defended themfelves 
v/ith their hats, and threw them very dexteroufly 
upon their neighbours. However, we faw no da- 
mage done, except the fingeing of a few wigs and 
caps for the ladies were there in as great numbers 
as the gentlemen. 

The company at the Prince Partana's was brilliant, 
and the entertainment noble. It confifted principally 
. of 



SICILY AND MALTA. 307 

of ices, creams, chocolate, fweet-meals, and friiit, 
of which there was a great variety. Not one half 
of the company play*d at cards 5 the reft amuied 
themfelves in converfation and walking on the terras. 
We found the young priiice and princefs, who are 
very amiable, with feveral of their companions, play- 
ing at crofs-purpofes, and other games of that kind. 
We were joyfully admitted of this cheerful little 
circle, where we amufed ourfelves very well for feve- 
ral hours. — I only mention this, to Ihew you the dif- 
ferent fyftem of behaviour here and in Italy, where 
no fuch familiar intercourfe is allowed amongft young 
people before marriage. The young ladies here are 
eafy, affable, and unafFe6led ; and not (as on the 
continent) perpetually ftuck up by the fides of their 
mothers, who bring them into company, not for 
their amufement, but rather to offer them to fale ; 
and feem mightily afraid left every one fhould fteal 
them, or that they themfelves ftiould make an elope- 
ment ; which indeed I ftiould think there was fome 
danger of, confidering the reftraint under which 
they are kept : — for furely there is no fuch ftrong 
incitement to vice, as the making a punifhment of 
virtue. 

Here the mothers ftiew a proper confidence in 
their daughters, and allow their real charadlers to 
form and to ripen. In the other cafe they have 
either no character at all, or an affected one, which 
they take care to throw off the moment they have 
got a hufband ; when they think it impoflible to 
recede too far from thofe rigorous maxims of de- 
corum and circumfpedion, the pradice of which they 
had ever found fo extremely difagreeable, 

X 2 Were 



A TOUR THROUGH 



Were they allowed firfl to fhew what they really 
are, I am perfuaded they would not be half fo bad ; 
but their parents, by the manner they treat them, 
fliew that they have no confidence in their principles ; 
and feem to have adopted the ungenerous maxim of 
our countryman. 

That every woman is at heart a rake.'* 

Now in countries where this maxim becomes of 
general belief, there is no doubt, that it likewife be- 
comes true ; for the v/onien having no longer any 
character to fupport, they will even avoid the pre- 
tences to virtue, well knowing that thofe pretences 
are only looked upon as hypocrlfy and affectation. 
I dare fay, you v/ill agree with me, that the better 
method to make them virtuous, is firPc to make them 
believe that we think them fo ; for where virtue is 
really efteemed, there are none that would willingly 
relinquifn the character ; but where it requires a 
guard (as parfon Adams lays) it certainly is not worth 
the centinel. 

Some of the families here put me in mind of our 
own donieftic fyrcem. The prince of Refuttana, his 
v/ife and daughter, are always together; but it is 
becaufe they chufe to be fo, and there appears the 
flrongeil; aifedion, without the leaft diffidence on the 
one fide, or redraint on the other.— The young 
princefs Donna Rofolia is one of the mofl: amiable 
young ladies I have feen ; fhe v/as of our little party 
laft night, and indeed made one of its greateft orna- 
ments.— it Vv'ould appear vain ajid partial,, after this 
10 fay, that in countenance, fentiment, and beha- 
viour, file feems altogether Englifli j — but it is true : 

/ — and 



SICILY AND MALTA. 309 

—and this perhaps may have contributed to advance 
lier flill higher in our erceem ; for in fpite of all our 
philofophy, thefe unphilofophic:al prejudices will fiill 
exifi:.. and no man, i believe, has entirely divefled 
hiinfelf of them. — We had lately a noble entertain- 
ment at her father's country-houfe, and had reafon 
to be much pieafed with the unaffected hofpitality 
and eafy politenefs of the whole family. This palace 
is recivoned the mod magnificent in the neighbour- 
hood of Palerm.o. It lies about fix or feven miles to 
the wePc of the city, in the country called II Colle ; 
in the oppofite direciion from the Bagaria, which I 
have already mentioned. The viceroy and his fa- 
mily, with the greated: part of the nobility, were of 
this party, which lafled till about two in the morning. 
At midnight a curious fet of nre-works were played 
off from the leads of the palace, which had a fine 
effed from the garden belovv^ 

Farewell.— I had no time to write yellerday, and 
though we did not break up till near three this 
morning, I have got up at eight, I was fo eager to 
give you fome account of the Sirocc wind. 

We are now going to be very bufy : The feaft of 
St. Rofolia begins to morrow ; and all the world are 
on the very tip-toe of expeftation : perhaps they may 
be difappointed. I often wiih that you were vv^ith us, 
particularly v/hen we are happy : Though you know 
it is by no means feads and fho ws that make us fo. 
However, as this is perhaps the moft remarkable one 
in Europe ; that you may enjoy as mxuch of it as pof- 
fible, I fnall fit down every night, and give you a 
fliort account of the tranfaclions of the day. — We are 
BOW going to breakfafl ; after v;hich we are engaged 

X 3 to 



A TOUR THROUGH 



to play at Ballon, an exercife I fuppofe you are well 
acquainted with ; but as the day promifes to be ex- 
tremely hot, I believe I fliall defert the party and go 
a fwimming.^ — But I fee F. and G. have already at-, 
tacked the figs and peaches, fo I muft appear for riiy 
interefl. — Farewell, 



LETTER XXX. 

Palermo, July I2th. 

A BOUT five in the afternoon, the feflival began 
£\. by the triumph of St. Rofblia, who was drawn 
with great pomp through the centre of the city, from 
the Marino to the Porto Nuovo. The triumphal car 
was preceded by a troop of horfe, with trumpets and 
kettle-drums ; and all the city officers in their gala 
uniforms. It is indeed a mofl: enormous machme i 
It meafures feventy feet long, thirty wide, and upwards 
of eighty high ; and, as it palTed along, over-topped 
the loftieft houfes of Palermo. The form of its under^ 
part is like that of the Roman gallies, but it fwells as 
it advances in height ; and the front aiTumes an oval 
fliape like an amphitheatre, with feats placed in the 
theatrical manner. This is the great orcheflra, which 
was filled with a numerous band of muficians placed 
in rows, one above the other : Over this orcheflra 
and a little behind it, there is a large dome fupported 
by fix Corinthian columns, and adorned with a num- 
ber of figures of faints and angels ; and on the fum 
mit of the 4ome there is a gigantic filver ftatue of St 

Rofolia.-^ 



SJCILY AND MALTA. 



Rofolia. — The whole machine is drelTed out with 
orange-trees, flower-pots, and trees of artificial coral. 
The car flopped every fifty or fixty yards, when the 
orcheflra performed a piece of mufic, with fongs in 
honour of the faint. It appeared a moving caftle, 
and completely filled the great flreet from fide to fide. 
This indeed was its greatefl difadvantage, for the 
fpace it had to move in v/as in no wife proportioned 
to its fize, and the houfes feemed to dv/indle away to 
nothing as it pafTed along. This vaft fabric v/as drawn 
by fifty-fix huge m.ules, in two rows, curiouily capari- 
foned, and mounted by twenty-eight poflilions, dreffed 
in gold and filver ftufts, with great plumes of oflrich 
feathers in their hats.— Every windov/ and balcony, 
on both fides of the ftreet, were full of v/ell-drefTed 
people, and the car was followed by many thoufands 
of the lower fort. The triumph was finifhed in about 
three hours ; and v/as fucceeded by the beautiful illu- 
mination of the Marino. 

I believe I have already mentioned, that there is a 
range of arches and pyramids extending from end to 
end of this noble walk : thefe are painted, and ador- 
ned with artificial flowers, and are entirely covered 
with lamps, placed fo very thick, that at a Httie dif- 
tancG the whole appears fo many pyramids and arches 
of flame. The whole chain of this illumination was 
about a mile in length, and indeed you can hard'y 
conceive any thing more fplendid. There was no 
break or imperfection any where ; the night being fo 
(till that not a fmgle lamp was extinguiflied. 

Oppofite to the centre of this great line of light, 
there was a magnificent pavilion ereded for the vice-^ 
roy and his com.pany, which confided of the whole 

X 4 nobility 



3^^ A TOUR THROUGH 

nobility of Palermo : and on the from of this, at fome 
little diitance in the fea, flood the great fire-works^ 
reprefenting the front of a palace, adorned with 
columns, arches, trophies, and every ornamenc of 
architeclure. AH the chebecks, galleys, galliots, 
and other fliipping, were ranged around this palace^ 
and formed a kind of amphitheatre in the feaj in- 
clofuig it in the centre.— Thefe began the fliow by 
a difcharge of the whole of their artillery, the found 
of which, re-echoed from the mountains, produced a 
veiy noble effect ; they then played off a variety of 
water rockets, and bombs of a curious conflru£lion, 
that often burfl below water. This continued for 
half an hour, w^hen in an inftant, the whole of the 
palace was beautifully illuminated. This <vas the fig- 
nal for the iliipping to ceafe, and appeared indeed 
like a piece of enchantment, as it was done altogether 
inflantaneou fly, and without the appearance of any 
agent. At the fame time the fountains that were re- 
prefented in the court before the palace, began to 
fpout up fire, and made a reprefentation of fome of 
the greztjet dreaus of Verfailles and Marly. As foon 
as thefe were extinguiflied, the court affumed the 
form of a great parterre ; adorned with a variety of 
palm-trees of fire, interfperfed v/ith orange- trees, 
flower-pots, vafes and other ornaments. On the ex«. 
tinguifliing of thefe the illumination of the palace was 
likewife extinguiihed ; and the front of it broke out 
into the appearance of a variety of funs, ftars, and 
wheels of fire, which in a fhort time reduced it to a 
perfed ruin. x4nd when all appeared finidied, there 
burft from the centre of the pile, a vafl explofion of 
two thoufand rockets, bombs, ferpents, fquibs, and 

devils^ 



SICILY AND MALTA. 313 

^e^ils, which feemed to fill the whole atniofphere : 
the fall of thefe made terrible havoc amongil the 
clothes of the poor people who were not under cover, 
but afforded admirable entertainment to the nobility 
who were. During this exhibiiion we had a hand- 
fome entertaininent of coffee, ices, and fweetmeats, 
with a varietv of excellent win>. s, in the great navilioii 
In the centre of the Flarino ; this v/as at the expencs 
of the Duke of Cailellano, the praetor (or mayor) of 
the city. The principal nobility, give thefe entertain*? 
ments by turns every night during the feftival^ and 
vie with each other in their magmficence. 

As foon as the fireworks were finiPaed, the viceroy- 
went out to fea in a galley richly illuminated. \Ye 
chofe to ftay on (here, to fee the appearance it made 
at a diiiance. It was rowed by feventy-two oars, and 
indeed made one of the moil beautiful objeds you 
can imagine ; flying with vaft velocity over the waters, 
as fmooth and as clear as glafs, which ihone round it 
like a fiame, and refleclea its fplendour on all fides. 
The oars beat time to the French-horns, clarionets^ 
and trumpe-s, of which there was a numerous band 
on the prow. 

The day's enterLaininent was concluded by the 
Corfo, vvhich began exa-£lly at midnight, and laiied 
till two in the morning. 

The great Ilreet v/as illuminated in the fame mag- 
nificent manner as the Marino. The arches and pyra- 
mids were ereQed at little Jiitances from each other, 
on both fides of the ftreet, betwixt the foot-path ^nd 
the fpace for carriages ; and when feen from either of 
the gates, appeared to be two continued lines of the 
l)righte{l flame. Indeed, thefe illuminations are fo 

very 



3^4 TOUR THROUGH 

very different, and fo much fuperior, to any I have 
ever feen, that I find it difEcult to give any tolerable 
idea of them.^ — Two lines of coaches occupied the- 
fpace betv/ixt thefe two lines of iilumination. I hey 
were in the greateil gala ; and as they open from the 
iniddle, and let down on each fide, the beauty of 
the ladies, the richnefs of their drefs, and brilliance 
of their jewels, were difpiayed in the rnofl: advan- 
tageous manner. 

This beautiful train moved flowly round and round 
for the fpace of two hours ; and every member of 
it feemed animated with a defire to pleafe. — The 
company appeared all joy and exultation : Scarce two 
coaches palled v.'ithout fome mutual acknowledgment 
of affection or refped ; and the pleafure that fparkled 
from every eye feemed to be refleded and com- 
municated by a kind of fympathy through the 
whole. 

In fuch an affembly, it was impoflible for the 
heart not to dilate and expand itfelf ; — I own mine 
was often fo full, that I could hardly find utterance ; 
and I have feen a tragedy with lefs emotion than I 
^id this fcene of joy. — I aUvays thought thefe af- 
fections had been ftrangers to pomp and parade ; but 
here the univerfal joy feemed really to fpring from 
the heart : it brightened up every countenance, and 
fpoke affedion and friendfliip from every face. — No 
flately air, — no fupercilious look;^ — all appeared 
friends, and equals — And fure I am, that the beauty 
of the ladies was not half fo much heightened either 
by their drefs or their jewels, as by that air of 
complacency and good humour with which it was^ 
;animated» 

We 



SICILY AND MALTA. 315 

We were diftributed in diiFerent coaches amongfl 
the nobility, which gave us a better opportunity of 
maidng thefe obfervations. — I will own to you, that 
I have never beheld a more delightful fight: — and 
if fuperPtition often produces fuch effeds, I fincerely 
wifh we had a little more of it amongfl us. I could 
have thrown myfelf down before St. Rofo^ia and 
blelfed her for making fo many people happy. 

We retired about two o'clock ; but the variety of 
glittering fcenes and gaudy objects flill vibrated be- 
fore my eyes, and prevented me from ileeping ; how- 
ever, I am almofh as much refrelhed as if I had : but 
I really believe four more fuch days will be too much 
for any of us. Indeed I am fure that it is impoffible 
to keep it up, and it muft neceffarily flag. I think, 
from what I can obferve, they have already exhaufted 
almofl one half of their preparations ; how they are 
to fupport the other four days, I own, I do not com^ 
prehend ; — however, we fhall fee. 

I thought to have giveji you an account of every 
thing at night, after it was over, but I find it im- 
poiTible : the fpirits are too much diffipi ted, and ex.= 
haufted, and the imagination is too full of obje<5l§ 
to be able to f^parate them with any degree of re- 
gularity. — I fhall vvrite you therefore regularly the 
morning following, when this fever of the fancy 
has had time to cool, and v/hen tnings appear as 
they really are. — Adieu then till to-m.orrow. Here 
is a fine fliower, which v;ill cool the air, and fave the 
trouble of watering the Marino and the great ftreet, 
which is done regularly every morning when there 
is no rain. The thermometer is at 73. 

13th, I thought there would be a falling ofF.-^ 
I Yefler day's 



$l6 A TOUR THROUGH 

Yeilerday's entertainments were not fo fplendld as 
thofe of the day before. They began by the horfe- 
races. There were three races, and fix horfes (tarted 
each race. Thefe were mounted by boys of about 
twelve years old, without either faddle or bridle^ 
but only a fmall piece of cord, by Vv^ay of bit, in the 
horfe's mouth, which it feems is fufficient to flop 
them. The great ftreet was the courfe j and to this 
end it was covered with earth to the depth of five or 
fiX inches. - The firing of a camion at the Porto 
Felice was the fignal for ftarting : and the horfes 
feemed to underiland this, for they all let off at once, 
■ full fpeed, and continued at their utmofl: ftretch to 
the Forto Nuovo, which v/as the winning poll. It is 
exactly a mile, and they perforined it in a minute 
and thirty-five feconds, which, confidering the fize 
of the horfcs, (fcarce fourteen hands) we thought was 
very great. Thefe are generally Barbs, or a mixed 
breed betwixt the Sicilian and Barb. The boys were 
gaudily dreffed, and made a pretty appearance.— Vfe 
were furprifed to fee how v/ell they ftuck on ; but 
indeed, I obferved they had generally laid fail hold 
of the mane. 

The moment before itarting, the ftreet appeared 
full of people ; nor did we conceive how the race 
could poffibly be performed. Our furprife was in- 
creafed when we faw the horfes run full fpeed at the 
very thickeft of this crowed, which did not begin to 
open, till they were almoft clofe upon it. — The 
people then opened, and fell back on each fide, by 
a regular uniform motion, from on^ end of the 
ftreet to the other. This fingular mancEuvre feemed 
to be performed without any buftie or confufion, and 

the 



SICILY AND MALTA. 317 

the moment the horfes were paft, they clofed agaiu 
behmd theni. However, it dedroys great part of the 
pleaiure of the race ; for you cannot help bemg 
under apprehenfions for fuch a number of people^ 
whom you every moment fee in imminent danger 
of being trod to death ; for this mud inevitably be 
their fate, were they only a fecond or two later iu 
retiring. Thefe accidents, they allow, have often 
happened ; however, yefterday every body efcaped. 

The vidior was conduLled along the ftreet in tri- 
umph, with his prize difplayed before him. This 
was a piece of white filk embroidered and worked 
with p'old. 

o 

Thefe races I think are much fuperior to the com- 
mon flyle of races in Italy, v/hich are performed by 
horfes alone without riders ; but they are by no 
means to be compared to thofe in England. 

The ^great ftreet was illuminated in the fame man- 
ner as on the preceding night ; and the grand con- 
verfation of the nobles was held at the archbhhop'^s 
palace, which was richly fitted up for the occaiion. 
. The gardens were finely illuminated; and put me 
in mind of our Vauxhall. There were too orcheftras 
(one at each end) and two very good bands of mu- 
fic. The entertainment V7as fplendid, and the arch- 
bifhop fhewed attention and politenefs to every perfon 
of the company. 

About ten o'clock the great triumphal car march- 
ed back again in procefiion to the Marino. It w^as 
richly illuminated v/ith large wax tapers, and made 
a mod formidable figure. — Don Quixote would have^ 
been very excufable in taking it for an inchanted 
caftle, moving through the air. — We did not leave 

the 



3i5 



A TOUR THROUGH 



the arehbifhop's till midnight, when the Corfo hegm^ 
which was precifely the fame in every refped as the 
Kight before, and afforded us a delightful fcene. 

14th. Lafl night the two great flreets and the four 
gates of the city that terminate them, were illuminated 
in the moil fplendid manner. — Thefe flreets crofs each 
other in the centre of the city, where they form a 
feeautiful fquare, called La Piazza Ottangolarey from 
the eight angles they form. This fquare was richly 
ornamented with tapeftry, flatues, and artificial flow- 
ers ; and as the buildings which form its four fides are 
uniform, and of a beautiful architediure, and at the 
fame time highly illuminated, it made a fine appearance. 
There are four orcheflras ere£led in it ; and the four 
bands of mufic are greater than I had any conception 
this city could have produced. 

From the centre of this fquare you have a view 
of the whole city of Palermo thus dreffed out in its 
glory ; and indeed, the efFect it produces furpalTes 
beUef. The four gates that form the viflas to this fplen- 
did fcene are highly decorated, and lighted up in an 
elegant tafte ; the illuminations reprefenting a variety 
of trophies, the arms of Spain, thofe of Naples, Sicily^ 
and the city of Palermo, with their guardian ge- 
niufes. Sec. 

The converfation of the nobles was held in the 
viceroy's palace ; and the entertainment was ftill more 
magnificent than any of the former. The great fire^ 
works oppofite to the front of the palace began at ten 
o'clock, and ended at midnight; after which we 
went to the Corfo, v/hich lafted as ufual, till two in 
the morning. This part of the entertainment flill 
pleafes us the niofl : it is indeed the only part of it 

tha^ 



SICILY AND MALTA. 



3^9 



that reaches the heart ; and where this is not the cafe, 
a puppet-fliow is jufl as good as a coronation. — We 
have now got acquainted almoft with every coun- 
tenance ; and from that air of goodnefs and benignity 
that animates them, and which feems to be mutually 
reflected from one to the other, we are inclined to 
form the mod favourable opinion of the people. 

Our fireworks lafl night were greater than thofe of 
the Marino, but their effect did not pleafe me fo much ; 
the want of the fea and the fhipping were two capital 
wants. They likewife reprefented the front of a 
palace, but of a greater extent. It w^as iilumxinated 
too as the former, and the whole conducted pretty 
much. Ill the fame manner. We faw it to the greatefl 
advantage from the balconies of the ftate apartments, 
in the viceroy's palace, where we had an elegant 
concert ; but, to the no fmall difappointment of the 
company, Gabrieli, the fined fmger, but the moft 
capricious mortal upon earth, did not chufe to per- 
form. 

15th. Three races, fix horfes each, as formerly. 
They called it very good fport. I cannot fay that I 
admired it. — A poor creature was rode down, and 
I beUeve killed ; and one of the boys had likewife a 
fall. 

The great alTembly of the nobility was held at the 
Judice Monarchia's, an officer of high trufl: and dig- 
nity. Here we had an entertainment in the fame 
ftyle as the others, and a good concert. — At eleven 
o'clock the viceroy, attended by the whole company, 
went on foot to vifit the fquare and the great church. 
—We made a prodigious train ; for though the city 
was all a lamp of light, the fervants of the viceroy 

and 



320 A TOUR THROUGH 

and nobility attended with wax flambeaux, to fliow 
tas the way. As foon as the viceroy entered the 
fquare, the four orcheftras ftruck up a fymphony, 
and continued playing till he left it. 

The crowd around the church was very great, 
and without the prefence of the viceroy, it would 
have been impoffible for us to get in ; but his attend- 
ants foon cleared the palfages ; and at once entering 
the great gate, we beheld the moft fplendid fcene in 
the world. The whole church appeared a flame of 
light ; which, receded fi'om ten thoufand bright and 
fiiining furfaces, of different colours and at different 
angles, produced an effed, which, I think, exceeds 
all the defcriptions of enchantment I have ever read* 
Indeed, I did not think that human art could have 
devifed any thing fo fplendid. I believe I have al- 
ready mentioned that the whole churchy walls, roof, 
pillars, and piiaffers were entirely covered over with 
mirror, interfperfed v^^ith gold and filver paper, artificial 
flowers, &c. done up with great tafte and elegance, 
fo that not one inch either of Pcone or plaifler was to 
be feen.- — ^Nov/, form an idea, if you can, of one of 
our great cathedrals dreffed out in this manner, and 
illuminated with twenty thoufand v/ax tapers, and 
you will have fome faint notion of this fplendid 
fcene. — I own it did greatly exceed my expedations, 
although, from the defcriptions we had of it, they 
were raifed very high.™ When we recovered from 
our firft furprife, which had produced, unknown to 
ourfelves, many exclamations of aftonifliment, I ob- 
ferved that all the eyes of the nobility vv^ere fixed 
upon us; and that they enjoyed exceedingly the 
amazement into which we were thro v/n.— Indeed 

this 



SICILY AND MALTA. 3^1 

this fcene^ in my opinion, greatly exceeds all the reft 
of the fhow. 

I have often heard the illumination of St. Peter's 
fpoken of as a wonderful fine thing : fo indeed it is ; 
but it is certainly no more to be compared to this, 
than the planet Venus is to the fun. — The effedls in- 
deed are of a diiferent kind, and cannot well be com- 
pared together. 

This fcene was too glaring to bear any confiderable 
time ; and the heat occafioned by the immenfe num- 
ber of lights foon became intolerable. —I attempted 
to reckon the number of luftres, and counted up- 
wards of five hundred ; but my head became giddy, 
and i was obliged to give it up. — They afiure us that 
the number of wax tapers is not lefs than twenty thou- 
fand. There are eight-and-t\Venty altars, fourteen on 
each fide ; thefe are drefied out with the utmoft magni- 
ficence ; and the great altar is flill the moft fplendid 
of all. 

When you think of the gaudy materials that com« 
pofe the lining of this church 5 it will be difficult to 
annex an idea of grandeur and majefly to it : at leaft, 
fo it firuck me, when I Vv^as firfl told of it ; yet, I 
affure you, the elegant fimplicity and unity of the 
defign prevents this efFed, and gives an air of dignity 
to the whole. 

It is on this part of the fhow the people of Pa-- 
lermo value themfelves the m^oft ; they talk of all the 
reft as trifling in comparifon of this ; and dinde, I 
think it is probable, that there is nothing of the 
kind in the world that is equal to it.— It is ftrange 
they fiiould chufe to be at fo great an expence and 

y trouble 



322 A TOUR THROUGH 

trouble for a iliow of a few hours only ; for they 
have already begun this morning, to ftrip the church 
of its gaudy drefs, and I am told it will not be finifhed 
for many weeks* 

From the church we went immediately to the 
Corfo, which concluded^ as ufual^ the entertainments 
of the day. 

i6th. Lail night we had the full illumination of all 
the ftreets.— The alTembiy was held at the prsetor's, 
where there was an elegant entertainment and a con?- 
o^rt. — Pacherotti, the hrft man of the opera, diftin- 
guifhed himfelf very much. I think he is one of the 
mofl agreeable fingers I have ever heard ; and am 
perfuaded, that in a few years he will be very cele- 
brated. Campanucci, the fecond foprano^ is, I think, 
preferable to moft that I have heard in Italy ; and 
you will the more eafily believe thisj when 1 inform 
you, that he is engaged for next winter, to be the 
firft fmger in the great opera at Rome. Is it not 
ftrange, that the capital of all Italy, and, for the 
, fine arts, (as it formerly was for arms) the capital of 
the world, Ihould condefcend to chufe its firft opera- 
performer from amongft the fubalterns of a remote 
Sicilian ftage 

You v/ill believe^ that with two fuch fopranos as 
thefe, and Gabrieli for the firft woman,- the opera 
here will not be a defpicable one. It is to begin in 
a few days, notwithftanding the extreme heat of the 
feafon fo fond are the people here of thefe enter- 
tainments. 

Their opera dancers are thofe you had laft year at 
London : they are juft arrived^ and the people are 
by no means pleafed with them. We faw thein thi& 

morning 



SICILY AND MALTA. 323 

morning at the rehearfal ; and, to their great fur- 
prife, addreffed them in Englifh. You cannot ima- 
gine how happy they were to fee us. Poor fouls 1 
I was dehghted to hear with what warmth of grati- 
tude and affedion they fpoke of England. There is 
a mother and two daughters ; the youngeft pretty, 
but the eldefl, the firfl dancer, appears a fenfible, 
modeft, well-behaved girl ;— more fo than is com- 
mon with thefe fort of people. Speaking of Eng- 
land, fhe faid, with a degree of warmth that her 
good treatment in general coiild hardly infpire, that 
in her hfe fhe never left any country with fo fore a 
heart ; and had fhe only enjoyed her health, all the 
world fhould never have torn her away from it.— « 
iShe feemed affeded when fhe faid this. — I acknow- 
ledged the honour fhe did the Engiifh nation ; but 
alleged that thefe fentinients, and the manner in 
which they were uttered, could fcarcely proceed from 
a general l6'X)e of the country. — She anfwered me with 
a fmile, but at the fame time I could obferve the tear 
in her eye.— At that inflant we were interrupted ; 
however, I fnall endeavour, if pofTible, to learn her 
ftory ; for I am perfuaded there is one : perhaps 
you may know it, as I dare fay it is no fecret in 
London. 

But I have got quite away from my fubjed, and 
had forgot that I fat down to give you an account 
of the feaft. — Indeed, I will own, it is a kind of 
fubjed I by no means like to write upon ; — I almoft 
repent that I had undertaken it, and am heartily glad 
it is now over. — It does very well to fee fhows \ but 
their defcription is of all things on earth the moft: 
infipid : for words and writing convey ideas only by 

Y 2 a How 



3^4 



A TOUR THR.OtJGfl 



a flov/ and regular kind of progrefs ; and while tcre 
gain one, we generally lofe another, fo that the fancy 
feldom embraces the whole but when a thoufand 
objeds ftrike you at once^ the imagination is filled 
and fatisfied. 

The great proceiTion that clofes the feftival began 
at ten o'clock— It only differed from other procef- 
fions in this^ that befides ^11 the priefts, friars, and 
religious orders of the city, there were placed at 
equal diftances from each other ten lofty machines 
made of w^ood and pafteboard, ornamented in an 
elegant manner, reprefenting temples, tabernacleSy 
and a variety of beautiful pieces of archite8:ure. — 
Thefe are furnilhed by the different convents and re- 
ligious fraternities, who vie with each other in the 
richnefs and elegance of the work. Some of them 

are not lefs than fixty feet high.- -They are filled 

with figures of faints and of angels, made of wax, [a 
natural and fo admirably well painted, that many of 
them feemed really to be alive. All thefe figures are- 
prepared by the nuns, and by them dreifid out in 
rich robes of gold and filver tiiTue, 

We were a good deal amufed this morning to fee 
them returning home in coaches to their refpedive 
nunneries. — At firft we took them for ladies in their 
gala drefs, going out to vifit the churches^ which we. 
were told was the cuPLom, and began to pull off our 
hats as they went palf — Indeed we were led into this 
blunder by fome of our friends, v/ho carried us out 
on purpofe ; and as they faw the coaches approach^ 
told us. This is the Princefs of fuch a thing -there 
is the Dutchefs of fuch another thing ;~ — and, in 
ihort, we had made half a dozen of our beft bow^^g 

(to 



SICILY AND MALTA. 325 

(to the no fmall entertainment of thefe wags) before 
we difcovered the trick.— They now infiH upon it, 
that we are good Catholics, for all this morning we 
had been bowing to faints and angels. 

A great filver box, containing the bones of St. 
Rofolia, clofed the procefiion. It was carried by 
thirty-fix of the mofl refpeSable burgeiTes of the 
city, who iook upon this as the greateft honour. The 
archbifliop walked behind it, giving his benedidion to 
the people as he palTed, 

No fooner had the proceffion finifhed the tour of 
the great fquare, before the pr^tor's palace, than the 
fountain in the centre, one of the largeft and finefl 
in Europe, was converted into a fountain of fire; 
throwing it up on all fides, and making a beautiful 
appearance. It onf^lalted for a few m.inutes, and 
was extinguifhed by a vaft expiofion, which con- 
cluded the whole. As this v/as altogether unex- 
pected, it produced a fine elfe£l:, and furprifed the 
fpedators more than any of the great fireworks had 
done. 

There was a mutual and friendly congratulation 
ran through the whole airembly, which foon after 
parted ; and this morning every thing has once more 
reaffumed its natural form and order ; — and I aiTure 
you, we were not more happy at the opening of the 
feftival, than we are now at its conclufion. Every 
body was fatigued and exhaufted by the perpetual 
feailing, watching, and diiUpation of thefe five days. 
However, upon the v/hole, we have been much de- 
lighted with it, and may with truth pronounce, that 
the entertainments of the feafl of St* Rofolia are 

Y 3 much 



326 



A TOUR THROUGH 



much beyond thofe of the holy v*^eek at Rome ; of 
the Afcenfion, at Venice ; or, indeed, any other 
feftival we have ever been witnefs of. 

I believe I did not tell you, that about ten or twelve 
days ago, as the time we had appointed for our 
return to Naples was elapfed, we ha4 hired a fmall 
veffel, and provided every thing for our departure : 
v/e had even taken leave of the viceroy, and received 
our palTports. Our baggage and fea- flora was al- 
ready on board, when we were fet upon by our 
friends, and folicited with fo much earneftnefs and 
cordiality, to give them another fortnight, that we 
found it impoffible to refufe it ; and in confequence 
difcharged our veffel, and fent for our trunks. — I 
fl:Lould not have mentioned this, were it not to Ihew 
you how much more attention is paid to Grangers here 
. than in moft places on the continent. 

We reckon ourfelves much indebted to them for 
having obliged us to prolong our flay ; as, inde- 
pendent of the amufements of the feflival, we have 
met with fo much hofpitality and urbanity, that it is 
now with the moft fincere regret we find ourfelves 
obliged to leave them. Indeed, had we brought 
our ciothes and books from Naples, it is hard to fay 
how long we might have flayed. 

We have fent to engage a veffel, but probably fhall 
not fail for five or fix days. Adieu» 



.mCILY AND MALTA. 



LETTER XXXI. 

Palermo, July 19th. 

E have mow had time to inquire a little into fome 
of the antiquities of this illand, and have found 
feveral people, particularly the prince of Torremuzzo, 
who have made this the great objeQ: of their fludy. 
However, I find we mud wade through oceans of 
fidion, before we can arrive at any thing certain or 
fatisfa6lory. 

Mofl: of the Sicihan authors agree in deriving their 
origin from Ham, or as they called him, Cham, the 
fon of Noah, who, they pretend, is the fame with 
Saturn. They tell you that he built a great city, 
which from him was named Gamefena. There have 
been violent difputes about the fituation of this city : 
— Berofo fuppofes it to have iiood, where Camarina 
%vas afterwards founded, and that this was only a cor- 
ruption of its primitive name. But Guarneri, Carrera, 
and others, combat this oi.inion, and affirm, that Ga- 
mefena llood near the foot of iEtna, between Ac^ 
and Gatlania, almoft oppoiite to thefe three rocks 
that ftiil bear the name of the Gyclops.— Indeed 
Carrera m.entions an infcription that he had feen in a 
3*uin near Aci, fuppofed to have been the fepulchre of 
Acis, which he thinks puts this matter out of doubt. 
Thefe are his words : " Hssc efl infcriptio vetuflae 
cujufdam tabellas repertse in pyramide fepuichri Acis, 
ex fragmentis vetuftiiTnn^E Ghamefense, urbis hodie 
Agis, conditcC a Cham, gigantum principe, edaai nun- 



cupate 



328 



A TOUR THROUGH 



cupato Saturno Chamefeno, in promontorio Xiphomo, 
ubi adhuc hodie vifuntur folo sequata antiqua veftigia, 
et ruin^ didge urbis et arcis in infula prope Scopulos 
Cyclopum, et retinet adhuc fmcopatum nomen La 
Gazzena/^ 

This fame Cham they tell you was a very great 
fcoundrel, and that efenus^ which fignified infamous, 
was added to his name, only to denote his chara6:er. 
Fazzello fays, he married his own filter, who was 
called Rhea ; that Ceres was the fruit of this marriage ; 
that Ihe did not inherit the vices of her father, but 
reigned over Sicily with great wifdom and mode- 
ration. That fhe taught her fubjeds the method of 
making bread and wine, the materials for which their 
ifland produced fpontaneoufly in great abundance* 
That her daughter Proferpine was of equal beauty 
and virtue with herfelf. That Orius king of Epirus 
had demanded her in marriage, aiid on a refufal, car- 
ried her off by force ; which gave occafion to the wild 
imagination of Greece to invent the fable of the rape 
of Proferpine by Pluto king of Hell, this Orius being 
of a morofe and gloomy difpofition. 

Ceres has ever been the favourite deity of the Sici- 
lians. She chofe her feat of empire in the centre of 
the ifland, on the top of a high hill called Enna, 
where fhe founded the city of that name. It is ftill a 
confiderable placej and is now called Caftragiovanni : 
but little or nothing remain of the ruins of Enna. 

Cicero gives a particular account of this place. He 
fays from its fituation in the centre of the ifland, it 
was called Umbilicus Sicili<^^ and defcribes it as one of 
the moft beautiful and fertile fpots in the world. The 
temple of Ceres at Enna v/as renowned all over the 
heathen world, and pilgrimages were made to it, as 

they 



SICILY AND MALTA* 



329 



they are at prefent to Loretto. Fazzello fays, it was 
held in fuch veneration, that v/hen the city was fur- 
prifed and pillaged by the flaves and barbarians, they 
did not prefume to touch this facred temple, although 
it contained more riches than all the city befides. 

There have been violent difputes amongft the Sici- 
lian authors, whether Proferpine was carried off near 
the city of Enna, or that of ^tna, which flood at the 
foot of that mountain, but it is of mighty little confe- 
quence, and more refped:, I think, is to be paid to the 
fentiments of Cicero, who gives it in favour of Enna, 
than the whole of them. Diodorus too is of the fame 
opinion, and his defcription of this place is almoft in 
the very words as that of Cicero. They both paint 
it as a perfed paradife ; abounding in beautiful 
groves, clear fprings and rivulets, and like ^tna, co- 
vered with a variety of flowers at ail feafons of the 
year. To thefe authorities, if you pleafe you may 
add that of Milton, who compares it to paradife 
itfelf: 

Ncr that fair field 

Of Enna, where Proferpine gathering flowers, 
Herfelf a fairer flower, by gloomy Dis 
Was gathered. 

If you v/ant to have a fuller account of this place 
you will find it in Cicero^s pleadings againfl Verres, 
and in the fifth book of Diodorus — I have converfed 
with feveral gentlemen who have been there : they 
aiTure me that it ftill anfwers in a great meafure to 
the defcription of thefe authors. — Medals, 1 am told, 
are ftill found, with an elegant hgure of Ceres, and 
an ear of wheat for the reverfe 5 but I have not been 
able to procure any of them. 

There 



33Q ^ TOUR THROUGH 

There was another temple in Sicily not lefs celebra*. 
ted than this one of Ceres.— It was dedicated to Ve^ 
BUS Erecina, and, like the other too, was built on the 
fummit of a high mountain. Tlie ancient name of 
this mountain was Eryx, or as the Sicilians call it 
Erice, but it is now called St. Juliano. Both moun^ 
tain and temple are often mentioned by the Greek 
and Latin hidorians, and happily the Sicilian ones 
have no difpute about its fituation or origin, which 
they make to be almoft as ancient as that of Geres. — 
Diodorus fays, that Dedalus, after his flight from 
Crete, was hofpitably received here, and by his 
wonderful fKill in archite£l:ure added greatly to the 
beauty of this temple. He enriched it with many 
fme pieces of fculpture, but particularly with the fi- 
gure of a ram of fuch exquifite workmanfhip that it 
appeared to be alive. This, I think, is likewife menr 
tioned by Cicero. 

^neas too in his voyage from Troy to Italy, Ian? 
ded in this part of the ifland, and according to Diodo- 
rus and Thucydides, made rich prefents to this tem- 
ple ; but Virgil is not fatisfied with this ; he mull: raife 
the piety of his hero flill higher, and, in oppofltion tQ 
ail the hidorians, makes ^neas the fpunder of the 
temple *. Its fame and glory continued to increafe 
for many ages • and it v/as dill held in greater vene- 
ration by the Romans, than it had been by the Greeks. 
Fazzello fays, and quotes the authority of Strabo, that 
feventeen cities of Sicily vv'ere laid under tribute, to 



* Turn vicma aftris Erycino m vertice fedes 
Fundatur Veneri Id-Ahx, tuTTinloque facercios 
Et lucus late fec&r a.dd-itur Anchifeo. 

; ' ralfe 



SICILY AND xMALTA. 33 1 

raife a fufficient revenue to fupport the dignity, ami 
enormous espences of this temple. Two hundred 
foldiers were appointed for its guard, and the num- 
ber of its priefts, priefteffes, and minifters male and 
female, were incredible. 

At certain feafons of the year, great numbers of 
pigeons, which were fuppofed to be the attendants of 
Venus, ufed to pafs betwixt Africa and Italy ; and 
refting for fome days on mount Eryx, and round this 
temple, it was then imagined by the people that the 
goddefs herfelf was there in perfon ; and on thefe 
occafions, he fays, they worshipped her with all 
their might. — Feflivals were inflituted in honour of 
the deity, and the moft modefl: woman was only 
looked upon as a prude, that refufed to comply with 
the rites. However, there were not many complaints 
of this kind ; and it has been alleged, that the 
ladies of Eryx were fometimes feen looking out for 
the pigeons long before they arrived ; and that they 
ufed to fcatter peas about the temple to make them 
flay as long as polnbie. 

Venus v/as fucceeded in her poflefiion of Eryx 
by St. Juliano, who now gives his name both to 
the city and mountain ; and" indeed he has a very 
good title, for Vv^hen the place was clofely befieged^ 
the Sicilians tell you, he appeared on the walls 
armed cap-a-pie, and frightened the enemy to fuch 
a degree, that they inftantly took to their heels, and 
left him ever fmce in quiet polfeflion of it. — It would 
have been long before Venus and her pigeons could 
have done as much for them. 

Many medals are found in the neighbourhood, 
but there is not the leafl: veftige of this celebrated 

temple. 



332 A TOUR THROUGH 

temple.— Some marbles with iiifcriptions and en- 
gravings that have been found deep below ground 
are almofl the gnly remaining monuments of its 
exigence. Suetonius fays, that it had even fallen 
to ruins before the time of Tiberius ; but as Venus was 
the favourite divinity of that emperor, he had ordered it 
to be magnificently repaired : however it is fomewhat 
difficult to reconcile this with Strabo's account ; who 
tells us, that even before his time it had been totally 
abandoned ; and indeed this feems mofl probable, 
as every veflige of it has now difappeared, which 
is not commonly the cafe with the great works of 
the age of Tiberius. 

^neas landed at the port of Drepanum, at the 
foot of this rnountain. Here he loft his father An- 
chifes ; in honour of whom on his return from 
Carthage about a year after, he celebrated the gam.es 
that make fo great a figure in the jEneid, which Vir- 
gil introduces with a good deal of addrefs as a com- 
pliment to the piety of Auguftus, who had inflituted 
games of the fame kind in honour of Julius Casfar, 
his father by adoption. 

It is fmgular, that Virgil's account of this part of 
Sicily fliould be fo very different from that of Homer, 
when there was fo fhort a fpace, only a few months, 
between the times that their two heroes vifited it. — 
Indeed, Virgil feems to have followed the hiftorians, 
in his condud of this part of his poem, more than 
the fentiments of Homer ; who makes this very coun^ 
try where ^neas v/as fo hofpitably received, the ha- 
bitation of Polyphemus and the Cyclops, where Ulyifes 
loft fo many of his companions, and himfelf made fo 
very narrow an efcape. The iiland of Licofia where he 

moored 



SICILY AND MALTA, 



tnoored his fleet, lay very near the port of DrepanuiH;, 
and Homer defcribes the adventure of Polyphemus 
to have happened on the fhore of Sicily, oppofite to 
that illand. Virgil has taken the liberty to change 
the fcene of a6lion, as he was better acquainted both 
with the geography and hiflory of the country than 
Homer ; and perhaps with a good deal of propriety 
places it at the foot of mount ^tna. I am afraid 
there is not fo much propriety in his changing the 
adion itfelf, and contradicting the account that 
Homer gives of it. For UlylTes fays that Polyphemus 
devoured four of his companions ; but that he, by 
his addrefs, faved all the reft, and was himfelf the lafl 
that efcaped out of the cave. Now Virgil makes 
Ulyffes to have told a lie, for he affirms that he 
left Achemenides behind him ; and Achemenides 
too gives a different account of this affair from 
Ulyffes : he aifures ^neas, that Polyphemus de- 
voured only two of his companions ; after v/hich they 
put out his eye, (^acuto telo) with a fliarp v/eapon ; 
which rather gives the idea of a fpear or javelin, than 
that of a great beam of wood made red hot in the firej 
as Homer defcribes it. But there are many fuch 
pafTages. — Don't you think they feem either to indi- 
cate a negligence in Virgil ; or a want of deference for 
his maffer ; neither of which, I believe, he has ever 
bean accufed of. 

The Sicilian authors are by no means pleafed with 
Virgil for making ^neas the founder of this temple 
of Veifus Erecina. They will only allow that the 
colony which he was obliged to leave there, after 
the burning of his (hips, did, in honour of his 
mother Venus, build the city of Eyrx around her 

3 temple : 



^ TOUR THROUGH 

temple : but they all infifl upon it, that the temple 
was built by Eyrx, or as they call him Erice, another 
fon of Venus but much older than ^neas ; the fame 
that was found to be fo equal a match for Hercules^ 
but was at laft killed by him^ at a boxing match 
near the foot of this mountain. The fpot where this 
is fuppofed to have happened, dill retains the name of 
Ql campo di Hercok} the field of Hercules. Through 
the whole fifth book of the iEneid this Eryx is ftyled 
the brother of ^neas ; and in his account of the 
games, Virgil introduces thofe very gauntlets with 
which he fought with Hercules, (m boc ipfo littore) 
in this very field. The fight of which, from their 
enormous fize, afloniflies the whole hofl, and fright- 
ens the champion Dares fo much that he refufes 
to fight. 

Adieu. The opera begins in two days ; after 
which, I think, we ihall ioon take leave of Sicily. 

Ever yoursi 



LETTER XXXm 

Palermo, July 21ft, 

^T'ESTERDAY we w^alked up to the Monte Pe- 
legrino to pay our refpeds to St. Rofolia, and 
thank her for the variety of entertainment flie has 
afforded us^ It is one of the moft fatiguing expe- 
ditions I ever made in my life; The mountain is 
extremely high, and fo uncommonly fteep, that the 
road up to it is very properly termed la Scala^ or 

the 



SICILY AND MALTA. 33 1 

the Stair: before the difcovery of St Rofolla, it 
tvas looked upon as almoft inacceilible, but they have 
tiow at a vaft expence cut out a road, over pre- 
cipices that were ahnofl perpendicular. We found 
the faint lying in her grotto, in the very fame attitude 
in which fhe is faid to have been difcovered; her 
head reclining gently upon her hand, and a crucifix 
before her. This is a ftatue of the finefl white 
marble, and of moft exquifite workmanihip. It is 
placed in the inner part of the cavern, on the very 
fame fpot where St. Roioha expired. It is the figure 
of a lovely young girl of about fifteen, in an acl of 
devotion. The artiit has found means to throw 
fomething that is extremely touching, into the coun- 
tenance and air of this beautiful ftatue. I never in 
my life faw one that afFe£led me fo much, and am not 
furprifed that it fhould have captivated the hearts of 
the people. It is covered with a robe of beaten 
gold, and is adorned with fome valuable jewels. The 
cave is of a confiderable extent, and extremely damp^- 
fo that the poor Httle faint mud have had very cold 
uncomfortable quarters. They have built a church 
around it ; and appointed prieRs to watch over thefe 
precious relics, and receive the offerings of pilgrims- 
that vifit them. 

An infcrlption graved by the hand of St. Rofolla 
herfelf, was found in a cave in m.ount Quefquina, at 
a confiderable didance from this mountain. It is^ 
faid that fhe was difturbed in her retreat there, and 
had wandered from thence to mount Pelegrino, as a 
more retired and inacceflible place. I fhall copy it 
• exadly, as it is preferved in the poor little faint's 
own Latin. 

EGO 



A TOUR THROUGH 



EGO RO SOL I A 
SINIBALDI QJJISQJJT. 

NEETROSARUM 
DOMINI FILIA AMORE 
DEI MEI JESU 
C H R I S T I 
IN HOC 
ANTRO HABIT A- 
RI DECREVI. 

After St. Rofolia was feared from the cave where 
this infcription was found, fhe was never more heard 
of, till her bones were found about five hundred 
years after in this fpot. 

The profpe£t from the top of mount Pelegrino 
is beautiful and extenfive. Moft of the Lipari ifiands 
are difcovered in a very clear day, and hkewife a 
iarge portion of mount iEtna, although at the 
diftance of almofl the whole length of Sicily. The 
Eagaria too, and the Colle, covered over with a 
number of fine country-houfes and gardens make a 
beautiful appearance. The city of Palermo ftands within 
lefs than two miles of the foot of the mountain, and is. 
feen to great advantage. Many people went to this 
mountain during the time of the great illumination, 
from v/hence they pretend it has a fine eSedi : but 
this unfortunately we negleded. 

Near the middle of the mountain, and not far 
from its fummit, there flill appear fome remains of 
a celebrated caftle, the origin of which the Sicilian 
authors carry back to the moll remote antiquity. Mafia 
fays, it is fuppofed to have been built in the reign of 
Saturn immediately after the flood ; for in the time 
of the earlieil Carthaginian wars, it was already 
much refpeded on account of its venerable antiquity. 

—It 



SICILY AND MALTA. 



337 



— It was then a place of ftrength, and is often men- 
tioned by the Greek hiflorians. Diodorus fays, in 
his twenty-third book, that Hamilcar kept poffeflion 
of it for three years, againfl all the power of the Ro- 
mans, who with an army of forty thoufand men at- 
tempted in vain to diflodge him. 

The fituation of Palermo is feen, I think, to more 
advantage from the monte Pelegrino than from any 
where elfe. This beautiful city ftands near the ex- 
tremity of a kind of natural amphitheatre, formed by 
high and rocky mountains ; but the country that 
lies betwixt the city and thefe mountains, is one of 
the richefl and moft beautiful fpots in the world. 
The whole appears a magnificent garden, filled with 
fruit-trees of every fpecies, and watered by clear 
fountains and rivulets, that form a variety of windings 
through this delightful plain. — ^From the fingularity 
of this fituation, as well as from the richnefs of the 
foil, Palermo has had many flattering epithets be- 
flowed upon it ; particularly by the poets, who have 
denominated it Conca d* oro^ The Golden Shell, which 
is at once expreflive both of its fituation and richnefs. 
It has likewife been ftyled Aurea Valle^ Hortus Sicilia, 
^c, and to include all thefe together, the lafting 
term of Felix has been added to its name, by 
which you will find it diftinguifhed even in the 
maps. 

Many of the etymologiflis allege, that it is from 
the richnefs of this valley that it had its original name 
of Panormusy which, in the old Greek language, 
they pretend, fignified All a garden : but others fay 
there is no occafion for draining fignifications, and 
affert, with more appearance of plaufibility, that it 

Z was 



A TOUR tHRdUGrt 

was called Pdn-ormns, from the fize and convenience 
of its harbours ; one of which is recorded anciently 
to have extended into the very centre of the city. 
And this is the account Diodorus gives of it ; it was 
called Panormus, fays he, becaufe its harbour even 
penetrated to the very innermoft parts of the city* 
Panormus in the Greek language fignifying All a 
port. And Procopius, in his hiflory of the wars of 
the Goths, alTures us, that in the time of Beli- 
farius, the port wa» deep enough for that ge- 
neral to run his Ihips up to the very walfe of the city^ 
and give the aftault from them. It is not now fo 
well entitled to this name as it was formerly. Thefe 
harbours have been almoft entirely deftroyed and 
filled up ; moft probably, I think, by the violent 
torrents from the mountains that furround it ; which 
are recorded fometimes to have laid wade great part 
6f the city. Fazzello fpeaks of an inundation of 
which he was an eye-witnefs,, that came down from 
the mountains with fuch fury,, that they thought the 
city v/ould have been entirely fwept away. He fays, it 
burft down the wall near to the royal palace, and bore 
away every thing that oppofed ks paflage j churches, 
Convents, houfes, to the number of two thoufand, 
and drowEfed upwards of three thoufand people.-— 
Now the fragments and ruins carried to the fea by 
fuch a torrent alone, would be fufeient to fill up a 
little harbour, fo that We are not to be furprifed, that 
thefe capacious ports, for which it had been lb much 
celebrated, no longer exifl. 

Next to Chamefeno, Palermo is generally fuppofed 
to be the moft ancient city in the rQand. Indeed, 
there ftill remain fome monuments that carry back 

its. 



SICILY AND MALTA, 



339 



its origin to the times of the tnod remote antiquity. 
A bifliop of Lucera has wrote on this fubjed. He is 
clearly of opinion, that Palermo was founded in the 
days of the firft patriarchs. You will laugh at this ^ 
fo did I ; — but the bifhop does not go to work 
upon conjedure only : he fupports his opinion with 
fuch proofs as, I own to you, ftaggered me a good 
deal. A Chaldean infcription was difcovered about 
fix hundred years ago, on a block of white marble ; 
it was in the reign of William II. who ordered it to 
be tranllated into Latin and Italian. The bifhop fays, 
there are many fragments in Palermo with broken 
infcriptions in this language ; and feems to think it 
beyond a doubt, that the city was founded by the 
Chaldeans, in the very early ages of the world. This 

is the literal tranllation : " During the time that 

Ifaac, the fon of Abraham, reigned in the valley of 
Damafcus, and Efau, the fon of Ifaac in Idumea, a 
great multitude of Hebrews, accompanied by many 
of the people of Damafcus, and many Phoenicians, 
coming into this triangular ifland, took up their 
habitation in this moft beautiful place, to which 
they gave the name of Panormus." 
The bjfhop tranflates another Chaldean infcription, 
which is indeed a great curiofity. It is ftill preferved, 
though not with that care that fo valuable a monu- 
ment of antiquity deferves. It is placed over one of 
the old gates of the city, and when that gat^ falls to 
ruin, it will probably be for ever loft. The tranflation 
IS in Latin, but I fhall give it you in Englifli : — " There 
is no other God but one God. There is no other 
*' power but this fame God. There is no other 
conqueror but this God whom we adore. The com- 
Z 2 « mander 



340 



A TOUR THROUGH 



" mander of this tower is Saphu, the fon of Elipharj 
fon of Efau, brother of Jacob, fon of Ifaac, fon 
" of Abraham. The name of the tower is Baych, 
" and the name of the neighbouring tower is 
" Pharat/' 

Thefe two infcriptions feem to refle£l a mutual 
light upon each other. Fazzello has preferved them 
both, and remarks upon this laft, that it appears 
evidently from it, that the tower of Baych was built 
antecedent to the time of Saphu, (or, as we tranflate 
it, Zephu) who is only mentioned as commander of 
the tower, but not as its founder. 

Part of the ruins of this tower flill remain, and 
many more Chaldean infcriptions have been found 
amongft them, but fo broken and mangled, that little 
could be made of them. Fazzello is in great indig- 
nation at fome mafons he found demohfhing thefe 
precious relics, and complains bitterly of it to the 
fenate, whom he with juftice upbraids for their neg- 
ligence and indifference. 

Converfing on this fubje£l t'other night with a 
gentleman who is well verfed in the antiquities of 
this place, I took the liberty of objeding to the 
Greek etymology, Pan-ormus, it'» appearing ex- 
tremely abfurd to give a Greek name to the city long 
before the exiftence of the Greek nation : I added, 
that I was a good deal furprifed Fazzello had not 
attempted to account for this feeming abfurdity. He 
allowed the apparent validity of the objection, and 
blamed Fazzello for his negligence ; but alfured me, 
that Pan-ormus, or fomething very nearly of the 
fame found, fignified in the Chaldean language, and 
likewife in the Hebrew, a paradife,- or delicious gar- 
den ; 



SICILY AND MALTA, 



34^ 



den; and that the Greeks probably finding it fo ap- 
plicable, never thought of changing its name. This 
I was in no capacity to contradid. — He added too, 
that Pan-ormus was like wife an Arabic word, and fig- 
nified Tbis wafer; which probably was the reafon 
that the Saracens did not change its name, as they have 
done that of almofl: every thing elfe j as this is as ap- 
plicable and as expreflive of the fituation of Palermo, 
as any of the other etymologies ; it being furrounded 
on all fides with beautiful fountains of the purefl 
water, the natural confequence of the vicinity of the 
mountains. 

Pray fhew this letter to our friend Mr. Crofts, and 
defire his fentiments on thefe etymologies and anti- 
quities. Tell him I have not forgot his commiflion, 
and fhall procure him all the oldefl and moft unin- 
telligible books in Palermo ; but I mufl: beg, for the 
repofe and tranquillity of mtankind, that he will not 
republifli them. On thefe conditions, I fend him a 
mofl: valuable fragment : it is part of a Chaldean 
infcription that has been exaciiy copied from a block 
of white marble found in the ruins of the tower 
Baych. — I own I fhould like much to fee it tranllated : 
the people here have as yet made nothing of it : and- 
we were in no capacity to aflifl: them. 



24^ A TOtJR THROUGH 




On confulting the Bible, I find, that in pur tranf- 
lation this fon of Efau is called Eliphaz, and EHphaz's 
fon, who was captain of this tower, Zepho. The 
variation of the names you fee is but trifling. It is 
not improbable that the other tower, Pharat, by a 
fmall variation of the fame kind, has been named from 
their coufin, Pharez, the fon of Judah, who got the 
ftart of his brother Zarah. You will find the ftory at 
the end of the thirty-eighth chapter of Genefis. The 
thirty-feventh chapter will give you fome account of 
Eliphar and Saphu : but I can find no etymology for 
the name of the tower Baych, I dare fay Mr. Crofts 

can tell you what it means. ^Pharez fignslies a 

breach ; a very inaufpicious name one would think 
for a tower. Adieu. The weather has become ex- 
ceeding hot. The thermometer is at 80. 



Ever yours. 



344 



A TOUR THROUGH 



LETTER XXXIII. 

Palermo, July 24tfi a 

I N the courfe of our acquaintance with fome gentle- 
men of fenfe and obfervation in this place, we have 
learned many things concerning the ifland, that per- 
haps may be worthy of your attention ; and as this day 
is fo hot that 1 cannot go out, I fhall endeavour to 
recoiled fome of them, both for your amufement and 
my own. The thermometer is up at 8i|. — So you 
may judge of the fituation of our northern con- 
ftitutions. 

There is one thing, however, that 1 have always 
obferved in thefe fouthern climates ; that although 
the degree of heat is much greater than with us, yet 
it is not commonly attended with that weight and 
oppreflion of fpirits that generally accompany our 
fultry days in fummer. — I am fure, that in fuch a 
day as this, in England, we ftiould be panting for 
breath ; and no mortal would think either of reading 
or writing. — That is not the cafe here ; I never was 
in better fpirits in my life : Indeed I believe the quan- 
tities of ice we eat may contribute a good deal to- 
wards it ; for I find, that in a very violent Jieat, there 
is no fuch cordial to the fpirits as ice, or a draught 
of ice-water : it is not only from the cold it commu- 
nicates, but, like the cold bath, from the fudden- 
nefs of that communication, it braces the ftomach, 
and gives a new tone to the fibres. — It is flrange that 
this piece of luxury (in my opinion the greateft of 

all3 



SICILY AND 'MALTA, 



345 



^ill, and perhaps the only healthy one) fhould ftill be 
fo much negleded with us. 

I knew an Engliih lady at Nice, who, in a fhort 
time, was cured of a threatening confumption, only 
by a free indulgence in the ufe of ices ; and I am 
perfuaded, that in fkilful hands, few remedies would 
be more effectual in many of our ftomach and inflam- 
matory complaints, as hardly any thing has a ftronger 
or more immediate efFed upon the whole frame ; and 
furely our adminiftering of warm drinks and potions 
in thefe complaints, tend often to nourifh the difeafe. 
— It is the common pradice here, in inflammatory 
fevers, to give quantities of ice- water to drink ; nay, 
fo far have they carried it, that Dr. Sanghes, a cele- 
brated Sicilian phyfician, covered over the breafl and 
belly of his patients with fnow or ice; and they 
alTure us, in many cafes, with great fuccefs. — But, 
indeed, I ought in juftice to add, that this phyfician's 
practice has not been generally adopted. 

Perhaps it is from the prefent benefit I find from 
ice, that I have faid fo much in favour of it ; for I 
am fully perfuaded, that if I had not a quantity of it 
(landing here below the table, I fliould very foon be 
obliged to give up writing, and go to bed ; but when* 
ever I begin to flag, another glafs is fure to fet me to 
rights again. 

I was going to give you fome account of the fiflie- 
ries of this ifland. 

The catching of the tunny-fifh conflitutes one of 
the principal Sicilian amufenients during the fummer 
months ; and the curing and fending them to foreign 
markets makes one of the greateft branches of their 
commerce.-*- We were invited yeflerday by the Prince 

Spcrlinga 



54^ ^ TOUR THROITGH 

SperKnga to a party of tunny-fifliing ^ but the violence 
of the heat prevented it. 

Thefe fi& do not make their appearance in the 
Sicilian feas till towards the latter end of May j at 
which time, the Tonnaros^ as they call them, are pre? 
pared for their reception. This is a kind of aqua» 
tic caftle, formed, at a great expence, of ftrong nets, 
fiaftened to the bottom of the fea by anchors and 
beavy leaden weights. 

Thefe tonnaros are ere£bed in the paffages amongft 
the rocks and iflands that are mofl frequented by the 
tunpy-filh. They take care to fhut up with nets the 
entry into thefe palFages, all but one little opening^ 
which is called the outward gate of the tonnaro. This 
leads: into the firft apartment, or, as they call it, the 
tialL As foon as the fifh have got into the hall, the 
£fliermen, who ftand fentry in their boats during the 
feafon, fhut the outer door, which is no more than 
letting down a fmall piece of net, which efFedually 
prevents the tunny from returning by the way they 
came* They then open the inner door of the hall, 
which leads to the fecond apartment, which they call 
the antichamber, and, by making a noife on the fur- 
face of the water, they foon drive the tunny-filh into 
it. As foon as the whole have got into the anticham- 
ber, the inner door of the hall is again fliut, and the 
outer door is opened for the reception of more com- 
pany. 

Some tonnaros have a great number of apartments, 
with different names to them all ; the falcon, the par- 
lour, the dining-room, &c. ; but the laft apartment 
is always flyled la Camera della Morte^ The chamber 
of Death : this is compofed of ftronger nets and hea- 
%*ier anchors than the others, 

. As 



SICILY AND MAJLTA. 347 

As foon as they have colle£ted a fufficient number of 
tunny.fifti, they are driven from all the other apart- 
ments into the chamber of death.; when the flaughter 
begins. The fifliermeny and often the gentlemen too, 
armed with a kind of fpear or harpoon, attack the 
poor defencelefs animals on all fides ; which now 
giving themfelves up to defpair, dafli about with great 
force and agility, throwing the water over all the 
boats ; and tearing the nets to pieces, they often knock 
cut their brains againft the rocks or anchors, and 
fometimes even againft the boats of their enemies. 

You fee there is nothing very generous or manly 
in this fport. — The taking of the Pe/ce Spada, or 
fword-fifh, is a much more noble diverfion : no art is 
made ufe of to enfnare him ; but with a fmall har- 
poon, fixed to a long line, they attack him in the open 
feas, and will often ftrike him at a very confiderable 
diftance. It is exa£lly the whale-fifhing in miniature. 
The Sicilian fifhermen (who are abundantly fuperfti- 
tious) have a Greek fentence which they make ufe of 
as a charm to bring him near their boats. This is 
the only bait they ufe, and they pretend that it is of 
wonderful efficacy, and abfolutely obliges him to fol- 
low them ; but if unfortunately he fhould overhear 
them fpeak a word of Italian, he plunges under wa- 
ter immediately, and will appear no more. 

As thefe hlh are commonly of a great fize and 
ftrength, they will fometimes run for hours after they 
are ftruck, and afford excellent fport. — I have feen 
them with a fword four or five feet long, which gives 
them a formidable appearance in the water, particular- 
ly after they are wounded. The flefh of thefe animals 
is excellent ; it is more like beef than fifli, and the, 
common way of dreffing it is in fteaks. 

The 



348 



A TOUR THROUGH 



The fifliing of the Fejce Spada is moll confidc^rable 
in the fea of Meflina, where they have likewife great 
quantities of eels, particularly the Morena^ fo much 
efteemed amongll: the Romans, which I think is in- 
deed the fineft fifli I ever eat. 

But it is not only their large fifh that they flrike 
with harpoons ; they have the fame method of taking 
mullet, dories, a kind of mackarel, and many other 
fpecies ; but this is always performed in the night. 
As foon as it is dark, two men get into a fmall boat ; 
one of them holds a lighted torch over the furface of 
the water, the other ftands with his harpoon ready 
poized in his hand. The light of the torch foon 
brings the fifh to the furface, when the harpooner 
immediately ftrikes them. I have feen great quanti- 
ties killed in this manner, both here and at Naples. 
A large fleet of boats employed in this kind of fifliing 
make a beautiful appearance on the water, in a fine 
fummer night. 

The coral fifliery is chiefly pradifed at Trepani : 
they have invented a machine there, which anfwers 
the purpofe much beyond their expectations. This is 
only a great crofs of wood, to the centre of which is 
fixed a heavy hard flione, capable of carrying the crofs 
to the bottom. Pieces of fmall net are tied to each 
limb of the crofs, which is poized horizontally by a 
rope, and let down into the water. As foon as they 
feel it touch the bottom, the rope is made fafl: to the 
boat. They then row about all over the coral beds ; 
The confequence of which is, the great flone breaks 
off the coral from the rocks, and it is immediately en- 
tangled in the nets. — Since this invention the coral 
fifhery has turned out to confiderable account. 

The 



SICILY AND MALTA. 349 

The people of Trepani are efteemed the moft in- 
genious of the illand ; they are the authors of many 
ufeful and ornamental inventions. An artift there, 
has lately difcovered a method of making Cameios," 
which are a perfed imitation of the ancient ones en- 
graved on the onyx. They are done on a kind of 
hard fhell from partes of the beft antiques, and fo 
admirably executed, that it is often difficult to dif- 
tinguifh the ancient from the modern. Thefe fet 
in gold, are generally worn as bracelets, and are 
at prefent in high eftimation amongft the ladies of 
quality here. Mrs. Hamilton * procured a pair of 
them laft year, and carried them to Naples, where 
they have been much admired. Commiffions were 
immediately fent over, and the man has now more 
bufinefs than he can manage ; however, we have 
been fortunate enough to procure a few pairs of them 
for our friends. I have feen cameios that have coil 
two hundred guineas, that could fcarce be diilinguifh^ 
ed from one of thefe. 

The difficulties under which the poor Sicilians la- 
bour, from the extreme opprefTion of their govern- 
ment, obliges them fometimes to invent branches of 
commerce that nature feems to have denied them, as 
they are not allowed to enjoy thofe (he has bellowed. , 
—The fugar-cane was very much cultivated in this 
illand, but the duties impofed were fo enormous, that 
it has been almoft abandoned. — But their crops of 
wheat alone, were they under a free government, 
would foon be fufficient to render this little nation 
one of the richePc and mofl flourifhing in the world ; 
for even in the wretched ftate of cultivation it is in at 



Now Lady- Hamilton^ 



prefent, 



A tOUR THROUGH 



prefent, one good crop, I am told, is fufficient to 
maintain the ifland for feveri years. You will be a 
good deal furprifed, after this, to hear that the expor- 
tation of this commodity has been prohibited for 
thefe feveral years pafl: ; at leaft to all fuch as are 
not able to pay moft exorbitantly for that privilege. 
The confequence is that corn has become a drug. 
The common price of the falma, which is two loads, 
was about thirty-one (hillings ; at prefent it is reduced 
to five (hillings and fix-pence, and there is a proba- 
bility that it will ftill fall lower. 

This crop, which has been very abundant, I am 
told, in many places they have hardly been at the 
pains to gather in, as there is little probability of this 
cruel prohibition being removed. The farmers are 
already ruined, and the ruin of their mafters muft in- 
evitably follow. This is the method the miniftry of 
Naples, or rather that of Spain, has taken to humble 
the pride of the Sicilian barons, whofe power they 
pretend is ftill very extenfive, and their jurifdiQion 
abfolute ; moft of them pofTeffing a right of life and 
death in their own domain. However, there is a pro- 
bability that they will foon be obliged to relinquifh 
their privileges. The complaint is univerfal, and if 
the miniftry prefevere in thefe rigorous meafures, 
there muft either be a revolt, or they muft foon be 
reduced to a ftate of poverty as well as of fervitude. 
I believe indeed moft of them would readily embrace 
any plaufible fcheme, to ftiake off their yoke ; as in 
general they appear to be people of great fenfibility, 
with high notions of honour and liberty. 

Talking of the natural riches of their ifland, — Yes, 
fay they, if thefe were difplayed, you would have rea- 

fon 



SICILY AND MALTA. 35C 

foil indeed to fpeak of them. Take a look of thefe 
mountains, — they contain rich veins of every metal, 
and many of the Roman mines ftill remain but to 
what end fliould we explore them ? — It is not we 
that Ihould reap the profit. — Nay, a difcovery of any 
thing very rich might poffibly prove the ruin of its pof- 
fefTor.— No, — in our prefent fituation the hidden trea- 
fures of the ifland muft ever remain a profound fe- 
cret, — Were we happy enough to enjoy the bleffings 
of your conftitution, you might qall us rich indeed. 
Many hidden doors of opulence would then be opened, 
which now are not even thought of, and we fhould 
foon re-aifume our ancient name and confequencej 
but at prefent we are nothing. 

This is the language that fome of the firll people 
jtfnongil them hold with us. However, they Rill 
boaft that they retain more of the feudal government 
than any nation in Europe. The fhadow indeed re- 
mains, but the fubilance is gone long ago. It has 
long been the objeQ: of the Bourbon miniitry to re- 
duce the power of the barons in every kingdom. 
Richlieu began the fyftem in France, and it has ever 
fmce been profecuted by his fucceffors ; its influence 
has now fpread over the whole of their polfeflions in 
Europe ; of which, as this is the mofl remote, it has 
likewife been the longed in reaching it. 

The foundation of the feudal fyftem was firft laid 
here by the count Rugiero, about the middle of the 
eleventh century, immediately after he had driven 
the Saracens out of the ifland. He divided Sicily ir^to 
three parts ; the firft, by confent of his army, was 
given to the church ; the fecond he beftowed upon 
his officers, and the third he referved for himfelf. 

9 Of 



35^ ^ TOUR THP.OUGH 

Of thefe three branches, or as they call them Braccios 
(arms), he compofed his parliament, the form of 
which remains the fame to this day. The Braccio 
Militare is compofed of all the barons of the king-, 
dom, to the number of two hundred and fifty-one, 
who are ftill obliged to military fervice : their chief is 
the prince Butero, who is hereditary prefident of the 
parliament : for in conformity to the genius of the 
feudal government fome of the great offices are ftill 
hereditary. The three archbifliops, all the bifliops, 
abbes, priors, and dignified clergy, amounting to 
near feventy, form the Braccio Ecclefiaftico : The 
archbifhop of Palermo is their chief. The Braccio 
Demaniale is formed by eledion, like our houfe of 
commons : there are forty-three royal cities, flyled 
Demaniale^ that have a right to eled members. Every 
houfeholder had a vote in this election. Their chief 
is the member for Palermo ; who is likewife praetor 
(or mayor of the city). He is an officer of the 
highefl rank, and his power is very extenfive ; in- 
ferior only to that of the viceroy ; in whofe abfence, 
the greateft part of the authority devolves upon him. 
He has a company of grenadiers for his body-guard j 
and receives the title of excellency. 

The prastor, together with fix fenators, who are 
ftyled patricians, have the management of the civil 
government of the city. He is appointed every year, 
by the king, or by the viceroy, which is the fame 
thing ; for I don't find that the people any longer 
exercife even the form of giving their votes : fo 
that the very fhadow of liberty has now difappeared 
as well as the fubflance.^ — You may judge of the 
fituation of liberty in a kingdom, where all courts 

civil 



SICILY AND MALTA. 353 

civil and criminal are appointed by regal authority, 
and where all offices are conferred only by the will 
of the fovereign^ and depend entirely upon his 
caprice. 

I own I feel mofl fmcerely for the Sicilians, who, I 
think, are ponelTed of many admirable qualities. But 
the fpirit of every nation mull infallibly fmk, under 
an oppreffive and tyrannical governmentc — Their fpirit 
however has in a great meafure kept them free from 
one branch of tyranny, the moft dreadful of all, that 
of the inquifition. The kings of Spain wanted to 
ellabTifa it in its full force ; but the barons, ac- 
cuftomed to exercife defpotic government themfelves, 
could not bear the thoughts of becoming flaves to a 
fet of ignorant Spanifh priefts : and, I believe, they 
took the only way that was left to avoid it. Every 
inquifitor that pretended to more seal than they 
thought became him, was immediately aiTaiTmated ; 
particularly if he prefumed to interfere with the con- 
dud or fentiments of the nobility. This foon took 
off the edge of their zeal, and reduced the holy office 
to a becoming moderation. However, they are ex- 
tremely circumfped in their converfation about reli- 
gious matters ; and generally advife ftrangers to be 
on their guard, as the power of the inquifition, al- 
though eonfiderably reduced, is by no means an- 
nihilated. 

The laws of Sicily are fcattered in a great number 
of volumes j thefe the king of Sardinia intended to 
abridge, and collect into one code, but unfortunately 
he v/2iS not long enough in poffeffion of the ifland, 
to accomplifli this ufeful work, — But where there 

A a is 



1 



354 ^ TOUR THROUGH 

is an authority above all lavvs, laws can be but of 
little fervice. 

The power of the viceroy is very abfolute ; he 
has not only the command of all the military force in 
the kingdom, but likewife prefides with unbounded 
authority in ail civil tribunals ; and as he is alfo in- 
veiled with the legantine power, his fway is equally 
great in religious matters. 

He has the right of nominating to all the great 
offices in the kingdom ; and confirming of all dig- 
nities, both civil and ecclefiaflical. 

. . . . ♦ 

In vifiting the prifons, a ceremony which he per- 
forms with great pomp twice a year, he has the 
power of liberating whatever prifoners he pleafes; 
of reducing or altering their fentences, their crimes 
and accufations having firfl: been read over to him. 
Indeed, that there may be fome appearance of a re- 
gard to law and juftice, his counfellor always attends 
him on thefe occafions, to mark out the limits of 
the law.—- This is an officer of very high rank, ap- 
pointed to affill the viceroy in his decifions, where 
the cafe may appear intricate or dubious ; and always 
is, or ought to be, one of the ableft lawyers in the 
ifland. For the moft part, this office has been given 
to ftrangers, who are fuppofed to have no kindred 
or particular connexions here, that in giving their 
judgment they may be free from all prejudice and 
partiality. He has free admittance into all courts 
and tribunals, that he may be the better enabled to 
give the viceroy an account of their proceedings. 

The whole military force of Sicily amounts at pre- 
fentj from tvhat I can learn, to 9500 men, about 

1200 of 



SICILY AND MALTA. 355 

1200 of which are cavalry. Many of their cities and 
fortreffes would require a very numerous garrifon 
to defend them ; particularly Meffina, Syracufe, and 
Palermo : but indeed the Hate of their fortifications, 
as well as that of their artillery, is fuch, that (even 
if they were inclined) they could make but a fmail 
defence. 

If this ifland were in the hands of a naval power, 
I think it is evident, that it muil command the whole 
Levant trade there are feveral little ports at each 
end of it, befides the great ones of Trapani, Syracufe? 
and Meffina, which lie pretty near the three angles 
of the triangle. Whatever fhips had paifed either of 
thefe, the others could be apprized of in the fpace 
of half an hour, by means of fignal towers, which 
the Sicilians have erected all around their ifland to 
warn them againil: fudden invafions from the Barbary 
fide. Thefe tovv^ers are built on every little promon- 
tory, within fight of each other. Fires are always 
kept ready for lighting, and a perfon is appointed 
to v/atch at each of them, fo that the whole ifland 
can be alarmed, they affure us, in the fpace of an 
hour. 

By the bye, we have been witnefs here of a prac- 
tice, that appears to be a very iniquitous one, and 
in the end, I Ihould think^ mult prove the deftrudion 
of our Mediterranean trade. Several iliips have put 
in at this port with Englifh colours, but to our 
furprife not one Englifhman on board. Thefe, I 
find, they call Bandiere men y — perhaps it is a known 
practice, although, I own, I was an utter ilranger to 
it. They are very numerous in thefe feas, and 
carry on a confiderable trade through the whole of 

A a 2 the 



35^ A TOUR THROUGH 

the Mediterranean, to the great detriment of our 
own fliips. Moft of them belong to Genoa and 
Sicily^ though they pafs under the name of Mi- 
norquins. They purchafe Mediterranean paflpOrts^ 
I am told, from fome of the governors of our gar-* 
rifons, which entitles them, during the term fpecified 
in thefe palTports, to trade under Englifli colours. 
I am affured that the number of thefe Bandiere men 
amounts to fome hundreds. They have often one 
or two Englifh failors on board ; or at leaft fome 
perfon that fpeaks the language, to anfwer when 
they are challenged. Pray can you tell me, if this 
pradice is known in England ? 

Adieu. The heat has become intolerable, and I 
am able to write no more 5 — however, I fliould not 
have given it up yet, but my ice is all melted, and 
I have not the conscience to fend out a fervant for 
more: I dare fay, you are very glad of it, and 
wiflied it had been melted long ago. If this con- 
tinues, I believe we ourfelves fliall be melted. The 
thermometer is above eighty -two, and the heat ftill 
feems to increafe.—The fea has even become too hot 
for bathing ; and it does not at all refrefh us now as 
it did formerly. 

FarewelL 



SICILY AND MALTA, 



357 



LETTER XXXIV. 

Palermo, July 26tii. 

^^/E have now got every thing ready for our de- 
parture, and if the wind continues favourable, 
this is probably the iaft letter I fhail write you from 
Sicily. However, I had (till a great deal more to 
fay, both of the Sicilians and their illand, and lhall 
leave them, I affure you, with a good deal of re- 
gret. 

Two chebecks failed this morning for Naples. 
We had the offer of a paffage ; but had already en- 
gaged a little velTel for ourfelves.— A young noble- 
man, the marquis of—™, was fliipped off in one of 
them, with orders never more to fet his foot in 
Palermo. Indeed v/e are much furprifed that his 
fentence is fo mild, as he has been guilty of a crime 
which in catholic countries is generally punifhed with 
the greatefl rigour ; — no lefs than the debauching a 
nun.^ — He met with the young lady at a bathing-place, 
about thirty miles from this, where fhe had been 
fent from her convent for the recovery of her health ; 
her mother was along with her, but as the two young 
people were firft coufms, and had lived together 
like brother and filler, the old lady thought there 
.could be no rilk in allowing them their wonted fa- 
miliarity. 

The nun foon recovered her health, grew fat, and 
returned to her convent. This is about fix or feven 
?aionths ago j and it is only a few days fmce the fatal 

A a 3 difcovery 



358 A TOUR THROUGH 

difcovery was jnade ; but alas, it would conceal 
no longer. He is baniihed Sicily for life ; and 
his eftate, or the greatefl part of it, is confifcated. 
He may think himfelf happy they have treated him 
with fo much lenity : Had his jury been compofed 
of priefcs and confeffors, he mufl have died, without 
benefit of clergy ; for this is the firft mortal fm, 
for which there is neither atonement nor abfolution ; 
— " to lie with a nun, and yet not be in orders." 

The punifhm.ent of the poor unfortunate girl is not 
yet determined ; hov/ever, I am told, it will be a 
terrible one : probably confinement in a dungeon for 
feven or eight years, without any company but a flvull 
and a crucifix ; and to live all that time upon bread 
and water. I faw a nun, at Portallegre in Portugal, 
that had fufFered this very puniihment for the fame 
crime. 

This ftory has been kept a profound fecret, and 
if we had not been on a very intimate footing with 
fome people here, we never fnould have heard of 
it. 

The Sicilians flill retain fome of the Spanilh 
culloms, though nothing of their gravity nor tacitur- 
nity : the younger fons of the nobility are ftyled 
Don by their chriftened names, and the daughters 
Donna ; like our appellation of lord and lady to the 
fons and daughters of dukes. The eldeft fon has 
commonly the title of count or marquis, but they 
are not all counts as in France and Germany, where 
I have feen fix Counts in one houfe. and very near 
twice the number of barons in another. 

One of the moft common titles here, as well as at 
Naples, is that of Prince j and although thefe were 

only 



SICILY AND MALTA, 359 

only created by Philip II. of Spain, they take rank 
of all the other nobility, fome of whom, particularly 
the counts, carry their origin as far back as the time 
of the Normans, and look with great contempt on 
thefe upllart Princes. The dukes and marquilTes 
are not fo old : the firft were created by Charles V. 
and die fecond, though an inferior title, by King 
Alphonfo, in the fifteenth century. — So that the dig- 
nity of the Sicilian titles may be faid to be in the in- 
verfe ratio of their antiquities. 

The luxury of the people here, like that of the 
Neapolitans, confills chiefly in their equipages and 
horfes ; but by a wife law of the King of Sardinia, 
which I am furprifed ihould ftill remain in force, the 
viceroy alone is allowed to drive in the city with 
fix horfes ; the pr^tor, the archbifhop, and pre- 
fident of the parliament with four ; all the reft of 
the nobility are reftricied to two. But this is only 
within the gates of Palermo ; and when they go to 
the country, there is none of them that drive with lefs 
than four ; befides, every family of diftindliion has 
at leaft tv^^o or three carriages in daily ufe ; for no 
man of fafliion is fo unpolite as to retufe his wife a 
chariot of her own, of which fhe has the entire com- 
mand; (without this the Marino could never fubf ft) 
and the upper fervants of the firfl families would 
be juPc as much afliamed to be feen on foot as their 
maflers. — We took the liberty to ridicule the folly 
of this practice : they allow of its abfurdity, and wifh 
to break through it ; but who is to lead the way ? 
We even prevailed with fome of the young nobihty, 
which 1 affure you was no fmall condefcenfion, to 
walk the flreets with us during the illuminations ; 

A a 4 but 



3^0 A TOUR THROUGH 

but even this condefcenfion Ihev/ed the folly of the 
prejudice in a fLronger light than if they had re- 
fufed us ; for they would not be prevailed on to 
ftir out, till they had fent their fervants about ten 
yards before them, with large wax flambeaux, al- 
though the whole city was in a flame of light. You 
may believe we did not fyd.re them upon this occa- 
fion ; but it was all to no purpofe. However, it is 
poffible that we may overlook many cuiloms of our 
own, that are not lefs ridiculous ; for ridicule for 
the mod part is relative, and depends only on time 
and place. — ^Perhaps you may remember the Prince 
of Anamaboo I fnould like to hear the account 
he would give of the Englifh nation in his own 
country ; for fome of our cuilom.s ftruck him in a 

flill more ridiculous light, —Walking out in 

St. James's Park, in the afternoon, he obferved one 
of his acquaintance driving in a phaeton \vith four 
horfes. The Prince burft into a violent fit of laugh- 
ing : — When they alked him, Vvhat \^'as the matter ? 
" — -Vat the devil, (faid the Prince in his bad Englifh) 
has that fellow eat fo much dinner that now it 
takes four horfes to carry him ? I rode out 
with him this morning, and he was then fo light 
that van little horfe ran away with him.— He 
mufl either be a great fool or a great glutton." — 
Another time they infilled on the Prince going to the 
play.— He went ; but he foon tired of it, and returned 
to his companions. Well, Prince, (fiidthey) what 
did you fee — " Vat did I fee, (replied he, with 
the utmoft contempt) I did fee fome men playing de 
fiddle— and fome men playing de fool." 

I only 



SICILY AND MALTA, 361 

I only infer from this, that it is with fome degree 
of caution we fliould ridicule the culloms of other 
nations : a Sicilian, perhaps, would laugh with as 
much juftice at many of our cuftoms ; — that, for in- 
Jflance, of obliging people to drink when they have 
no inclination to it ; — that in the North, of eating 
Soland geefe before dinner, to give them an appetite ; 
-—that of phyficians and lawyers wearing enormous 
wigs, and many others that v/ili naturally occur to 
you, none of which appear in the leaft ridiculous 
to the people that pradife them ; who would no 
doubt defend them as ftrenuoufly as the Sicilians do 
the neceffity of carrying flambeaux before them dur- 
ing the great illumination. — -Indeed they have jufl now 
given us an admirable fpecimen of fome of our ridi- 
cules, in one of their opera dances, with v/hich we 
have been a good deal entertained. 

I believe I told you that the dancers are lately come 
from England : they have brought upon the ftage 
many of the capital London characters : The bucks^ 
the maccaronies, the prigs, the cits, and fome others 
ftill more refpeciable : thefe are well fupported, and 
afford a good deal of laughing. But I am interrupt- 
ed, otherwife I fliould have given you a more parti- 
cular account of them. Adieu. The heat is intole- 
rable ; and there is no pofTibility of v/alking out. — 
We complain without reafon of our own climate; 
and King Charles's obfervation I am perfuaded was 
juft ; " That there is hardly any climate, where, 
throughout the year, we can have fo much exercife 
in the open air." 



Ever yours. 



A TOUR THROUGH 



LETTER XXXV. 

Palermo, July 27^1, 

'JT^HE Sicilians are animated in converfation, and 
their allien for the moft part is fo juil and fo 
expreffive of their fentiments, that without hearing 
what is faid, one may comprehend the fubjed of their 
difcourfe. We ufed to think the French and Neapo- 
litans great adepts in this art ; but they are much 
outdone by the Sicilians, both in the variety and juft- 
nefs of their gefticulation. 

The origin of this cuflom they carry fo far back as 
the time of the earlieft tyrants of Syracufej who, to 
prevent confpiracies, had forbid their fubjeds, under 
the moft fevere penalties, to be feen in parties talking 
together. This obliged them lo invent a method of 
communicating their fentiments by dumb Ihow, which 
they pretend has been tranfmitted from generation to 
generation ever fmce. 

I think it is not at all improbable that this cuflom 
too may have given the firft idea of com.edy ; as we 
find, that fome iliort time after, Epicarmus, a native 
of that city, was the author of this invention. 

The Sicilians till lately retained a great many fooliA 
and fuperftitious cuftoms ; but particularly in their 
marriage and funeral ceremonies : it would be tedious 
to give you an account of all thefe ; fome of them 
are ftill praclifed in the wild and mountainous parts 
of the ifland.— As foon as the marriage ceremony is 
performed, two of the attendants are ready to cram a 
fpoonful of honey into the mouths of the bride and 

bridegroom j 



SICILY AND MALTA. 363 

bridegroom; pronouncing it emblematical of their 
love and union, which they hope will ever continue 
as fweet to their fouls, as that honey is to their palates. 
— They then begin to throw handfuls of wheat upon 
them, which is continued all the way to the houfe 
of the bridegroom. This is probably the remains of 
fome ancient rite to Ceres, their favourite divinity, 
and they think it cannot fail of procuring them a 
numerous progeny : — -however, the Sicilian women 
have no occafion for any charm to promote this, as, 
in general, they are abundantly prolific even without 
it. Fazzello gives an account of women having fre- 
quently upwards of forty children ; and Carrera men- 
tions one who had forty-feven. 

The young couple are not allowed to taile of the 
marriage-feait ; this they pretend is to teach them 
patience and temperance ; but when dinner is finifh- 
ed, a great bone is prefented to the bridegroom by 
the bride's father, or one of her nearefl relations, who 
pronounces thefe words : " Rodi tu queft' qffo^ &c. 
" Pick you this bone, for you have now taken in 
" hand to pick one, which you v/iil find much 
" harder and of more difiicult digeftion." — Perhaps 
this may have given rife to the common faying, when 
one has undertaken any thing arduous or difficult, 
that He has got a bone to pick/' 

The Sicilians, like mod other nations in Europe, 
carefully avoid marrying in the month of May, and 
look upon fuch marriages as extremely inaufpi- 
cious. This piece of fuperflition is as old, perhaps 
older than the time of the Romans, by whofe authors 
it is frequently mentioned ; and by whom it has been 
tranfmitted to almoft every nation in Europe. It is 
fomewhat unaccountable, that fo ridiculous an idea, 

which 



364 



A TOUR THROUGH 



which can have no foundation in nature, Ihould have 
flood its ground for fo many ages»— There are indeed 
other culioms flill more trivial, that are not lefs uni^ 
verfal. — That of making April fools on the firfl day 
of that month ; the ceremony of the cake on Tvi^elfth- 
night; and fome others that will occur to you, of 
which, no more than this, I have ever been able to 
learn the origin. 

The marriages of the Sicilian nobility are cele- 
brated with great magnificence ; and the number of 
elegant carriages produced on thefe occafions is afto- 
nifhing. I wanted to difcover when thjs great luxury 
in carriages had taken its rife ; and have found an 
account of the marriage of the daughter of one of 
their viceroys to the duke of Bivona, in the year 
1 551. It is defcribed by one Elenco, vv^ho was a 
fpedator of the ceremony. He fays the ladies as 
well as gentlemen Vv^ere all mounted on fine horfes, 
fnmptuoufly caparifoned, and preceded by pages: 
that there were only three carnages in the city, vv^hich 
were ufed by invalids who were not able to ride on 
liorfeback. Thefe he calls Carette^ which word novf 
fignifies a little cart. 

The Sicilian ladies marry very young, and fre- 
quently live to fee the fifth or fixth generation. You 
will exped, no doubt, that I fhould fay fomething of 
their beauty In general, they are fprightly and 
agreeable ; and in moPc parts of Italy they would be 
eileemed handfome. — —A Neapolitan or a Roman; 
would furely pronounce them fo.— But a Piedmontefe 
would declare them very ordinary ; fo indeed would 
moft Englilhmen. —Nothing fo vague as our ideas of 
female beauty : they change in every climate ; and 
the criterion is no where to be found.— 

«' Afk 



SICILY AND MALTA* 3^5 

Afk Where's the North ? — at York, 'tis on the Tweed, 
** In Scotland at the Orcades, and there, 
^* At Nova Zembla, or the Lord knows where." 

No two nations, —perhaps no two men, have^ 

affixed precifely the fame charaderillics : and every 
one exalts his idea of it, according to the beauty of 
the women he is accuflomed to fee ; fo that even the 
fame perfon may fometimes appear beautiful, fome- 
times ugly, juft in proportion as we have feen others 
that are more or lefs fo.— I remember, after making 
the tour of Savoy and the Lower Valais, every wo- 
man we met in Switzerland appeared an angel. The 
fame thing happens in travelling through fome parts 
of Germany ; and you will eafily recoiled the fur- 
prifmg difference betwixt a beauty at Milan and one 
at Turin, although thefe places lie adjacent to each 
other. It is a pity that the Juno of Zeuxis has been 
lofl, if it were no more than to have fhewn us the 
notion the ancients had of a perfect beauty. Indeed, 
the Venus of Medicis has been confidered as a model 
of perfection,— but it is fureiy abfurd ; for who ever 
heard of a perfect beauty of five feet high !— the very 
idea is ridiculous ; and whatever figure her goddefs- 
Ihip might make amongfl the ancient divinities, in 
the pantheon at Rome, I am afraid fhe would cut 
but a forry one amongfl the modern ones, in that of 
London. — In fliort, I believe we may fafely conclude, 
that beauty is a relative quality, and the To kalon is 
no longer the fame, no more in a phyfical than a 
moral fenfe, in any two places on the globe. 

The ladies here have remarkable line hair, and 
they underftand how to drefs and adorn it to the 

greateft 



A TOUS. THROUGH 



greateft advantage. It is now only ufed as an embel- 
lilhment ; but in former times we are told, that, like 
that of Samfon, it was found to be the ilrength and 
protedion of their country.- — There is a paradox for 
you, that all the wife men of the Eall could hardly 
folve. — Their hiflorians relatej (in whofe reign I be- 
lieve is rather dubious ) that this city had fuffered a 
long fiege from the Saracens, and was greatly re- 
duced by famine; but, what diflreffed them ftill 
more, there were no materials to be found for 
making bowftrings, and they were on the point of 

furrendering. In this dilemma, a patriotic dame 

flepped forth, and propofed to the women, that the 
whole of them Ihould cut off their hair, and twifl it 
into bowftrings : This was immediately complied 
with. — The heroifm of the women, you know, mufl 
ever excite that of the men. — The befieged, animated 
by this gallant facrifice of the fair, renewed their de- 
fence with fuch vigour, that the alTailants were beat 
off; and a reinforcement foon after arriving, the city 
was faved.~The ladies ftill value themfelves on this 
ftory, which you may believe has not been forgotten 
by their bards. — " The hair of our ladies (fays one 

of their quaint poets) is ftill employed in the fame 
" office; but now it difcharges no other iliafts but 

thofe of Cupid ; and the only cords it forms are 

the cords of love.'' 

The Sicilians are much fonder of ftudy than their 
neighbours on the continent; and their education is 
much more attended to. Vf e were a good deal fur- 
prifed to find, that inftead of that frivolity and no- 
thingnefs, which fo often conftitute the converfation 
of the Italian nobility , here their delight was to talk 
4t on 



SICILY AND MALTA. 367 

on fubjeds of literature, of hiftory, of politics, but 
chiefly of poetry ; for the other branches of know- 
ledge and fcience are only general : this is the only 
one that may be faid to be univerfal. Every perfon, 
in fome period of his life, is fure to be infpired ; and 
a lover is never believed fo long as he can fpeak of 
his paflion in profe ; and, contrary to our v^^ay of 
reafoning, is only reckoned true in proportion as he 
is poetical. Thus, infpiration, you fee, has here be- 
come the teft of truth. 

We were aftonifhed on our firil arrival at Palermo, 
to hear ourfelves addreiTed in Englifli, by fome of the 
young nobility ; but flill more fo, to find them inti- 
mately acquainted with many of our celebrated poets 
and philofophers. — Milton, Shakefpeare, Dryden, 
Pope, Bacon, Bolingbroke, we found in feveral 
libraries, not in the tranilation, but generally in the 
beft editions of the original. 

Our language, indeed, has become fo much in 
vogue, that it is now looked upon as no immaterial 
part of a polite education : the viceroy, the Marquis 
Fogliano, a man of great merit and humanity, has 
made fome of our authors his favourite ftudy, and 
greatly encourages the progrefs it is making in his 
kingdom. Many of the nobility fpeak it a Httle ; and 
fome of them even with eafe and fluency, although 
they have never been out of their ifland. The 
Marquis Natah, the Counts Statela and Bufchemi, 
the Duke of St. Micheli, &c. ; in whofe company 
we have enjoyed a great deal of pleafure, and whofe 
knowledge and erudition is the leaft part of their 
praife. Adieu. 

Yours, &c. 



363 



A TOUR THROUGH 



LETTER XXXVI. 

Palermo, July 2 8t;fi^ 
J HAD alnioH forgot to fay any thing of the opera J 
— It would have been very ungrateful, for we 
have been much delighted with it. The firfl and 
fecond man, are both admirable fmgers, and I make 
no doubt you will have them in London in a fev/ 
years ; neither of them are as yet known, and I dare 
fay at prefent they might be engaged for a very mo- 
derate price ; but in Italy they will foon be taught to 
eflimate their value«— The name of the firft is Pa- 
cherotti ^ he is very young, and an entire ftranger in 
the nuifical world ; yet I am perfuaded, that after he 
has been heard on the different theatres in Italy, he will 
be efteemed one of their capital performers. His ex- 
cellence is the pathetic, at prefent too much negleded 
on mod theatres ; and indeed. I think, he gives more 
expreffion to his cantabile airs, and makes his hearers 
feel more, becaufe he feels more himfelf, than any 
that I have feen in Italy. He indeed addreffes himfelf 
to the heart, while mod of the modern performers 
fmg only to the fancy. 

The firft woman is Gabrieli ; who is certainly the 
greatefl fmger in the world : and thofe that fing on 
the fame theatre with her mufl be capital, otherwife 
they never can be attended to. This indeed has been 
the fate of all the other performers, except Pache- 
rotti J and he too gave himfelf up for loft, on hear- 
ing 



SICILY AND MALTA. 369 

mg her firft performance. — It happened to be an air 
of execution, exactly adapted to her voice^ which Ihe 
exerted in fo aftonifhing a manner, that before it was 
half done, poor Pacherotti burfh out a crying ; and 
ran in behind the fcenes ; lamenting that he had 
dared to appear on the fame ftage with fo wonderful 
a finger ; where his fmall talents muft not only be 
loft, but where he mufl ever be accufed of a pre- 
fumption, which he hoped was foreign to his cha- 
racter. 

It was with fome difficulty they could prevail on 
him to appear again, but from an applaufe well 
merited, both from his talents and his modefly, he 
foon began to pluck up a little courage ; and in the 
fmging of a tender air, addrelTed to Gabrieli in the 
chara6ter of a lover, even (he herfelf, as well as the 
audience, is faid to have been moved. 

Indeed, in thefe very pathetic pieces, I am fur- 
prifed that the power of the mufic does not fome- 
times altogether overcome the delufion of character ; 
for when you are niafter of the language, and allow 
the united power of the poetry, the adion, and the 
mufic, to have its full force on the mind, the efFed 
is wonderfully great.— However I have never heard 
that this happened completely but once ; and it was 
no lefs a finger than Farinelli that produced it. — . 
He appeared in the charader of a young captive 
hero, and in a tender air was foliciting mercy for his 
miftrefs and himfelf of a flern and cruel tyrant who 
had made them his prifoners.. The perfon that acted 
the tyrant was fo perfectly overcome by the melting 
ftrains of Farinelli, that inftead of refufing his re- 
queft as he ought to have done, he entirely forgot 

B b his 



370 



A TOUR THROUGH 



his charader, burft into tears, and caught hina in 
his arms. 

The performance of Gabrieli is fo genevdWj known 
and admired, that it is needlefs to fay any thing to 
you on that fubjed. Her wonderful execution and 
volubility of voice have long been the admiration of 
Italy, and has even obliged them to invent a new 
term to exprefs it j and would Ihe exert herfelf as 
much to pleafe as to aftonifh, llie might almofl per- 
form the wonders that have been afcribed to Orpheus 
and Timotheus ; but it happens, luckily perhaps for 
the repofe of mankind, that her caprice is, if poffible^ 
even greater than her talents, and has made her ftill 
more contemptible than thefe have made her cele- 
brated. By this means, her charader has often 
proved a fuflicient antidote, both to the charms of 
her voice and thofe of her perfon, which are indeed 
almoft equally powerful ; but if thefe had been united 
to the qualities of a modefl and an amiable mind, fhe 
muft have made dreadful havoc in the world. How- 
ever, with all her faults, fhe is certainly the mod 
dangerous fyren of modern times, and has made 
more conquefls, I fuppofe, than any one woman 
breathing. 

It is but juftice to add, that contrary to the gene- 
rality of her profeffion, fhe is by no means felfifh or 
mercenary ; but on the contrary, has given many 
fmgular proofs of generofity and difmtereftednefs. 
She is very rich ; from the bounty, as is fuppofed^ 
of the laft emperor, who was fond of having her at 
Vienna ; but flie was at laft banifhed that city, as fhe 
has likewife been mo ft of thofe in Italy, from the 
broils and fquabbles that her intriguing fpirit, per- 
haps 



SICILY AND MALTA, 371 

haps ftill more than her beauty, had excited. There 
are a great many anecdotes concerning her, that 
would not make an unentertaining volume ; and, I 
am told, either are, or will foon be publiflied. 

Although file is confiderably upwards of thirty, 
on the ftage {he fcarcely appears to be eighteen j and 
this art of appearing young, is none of the mofl 
contemptible that fhe poffeiTes.— When fhe is in good 
humour, and really chufes to exert herfelf, there is 
nothing in mufic that I have ever heard, to be com- 
pared to her performance ; for fhe fmgs to the heart 
as well as the fancy, when fhe pleafes ; and fhe then 
commands every paffion with unbounded fway. But 
fhe is feldom capable of exercifing thefe wonderful 
powers ; and her caprice and her talents exerting 
themfelves by turns, have given her, all her life, the 
fmgular fate of becoming alternately an object of ad- 
miration and of contempt. 

Her powers in ading and reciting, are fcarcely 
inferior to thofe of her fmging ; fometimes, a few 
words in the recitative, with a fimple accompaniment 
only, produces an effed, that I have never been 
fenfible of from any other performer; and inclines 
me to believe what RouiTeau advances on this branch 
of mufic, which with us is fo much defpifed. She 
owes much of her merit to the inftru6lions fhe re- 
ceived from Meteflafio, particularly in ading and 
reciting ; and he allows that fhe does more juflice to 
his operas than any other adrefs that ever attempted 
them. 

Her caprice is fo fixed and fo flubborn, that neither 
interefl, nor flattery, nor threats, nor punifhments, 
have the leafl power over it ; and it appears, that 

B b 2 treating 







A TOUR THUOUaH 

treating her with refpe£t or contempt, have an equal 
tendency to increafe it. 

It is feldom that fhe condefcends to exert thefe 
wonderful talents; but moft particularly if fhe ima- 
gines that fuch an exertion is expeded. And in (lead 
of fmging her airs as other adrelTes do, for the moft 
part fhe only hums them over, a mezza voce. And 
no art whatever is capable of making her fmg, when 
Ihe does not chufe it. 

The moft fuccefsful expedient has ever been 
found, to prevail on her favourite lover, for fhe al- 
ways has one, to place himfelf in the centre of the 
pit, or the front box; and if they are on good 
terms, which is feldom the cafe, fhe will addrefs her 
tender airs to him, and exert herfelf to theutmoft.— 
Her prefent enamorato promifed to give us this fpe- 
cimen of his power over her; he took his place 
accordingly ; but Gabrieli, probably fufpeding the 
connivance, would take no notice of him; fo that 
even this expedient does not always fucceed. 

The viceroy, who is fond of mufic, has tried every 
method with her to no purpofe. Some time ago he 
gave a great dinner to the principal nobility of Pa- 
lermo, and fent an invitation to Gabrieli to be of the 
party. Every other perfon arrived at the hour oF 
invitation. The viceroy ordered dinner to be kept 
back, and fent to let her know that the company 
waited her. The meffenger found her reading in 
bed ; — -ihe faid flie was forry for having made the 
company wait, and begged he would make her apo- 
logy, but that really fhe had entirely forgot her 
engagemxnt. 

S The 



SICILY AND MALTA, 373 

The viceroy would have forgiven this piece of info- 
ience, but, when the company came to the opera, 
Gabrieli repeated her part with the mod perfed ne- 
gligence and indifference, and fung all her airs in what 
they call fotto voce^ that is, fo low, that they can 
fcarceiy be heard. The viceroy was offended ; but as 
he is a good-tempered man, he was loth to make ufe 
of authority ; but at lafl, by a perfeverance in this in- 
folent ftmbbornnefs, fne obliged him to threaten her 
vnih. punifhment in cafe ilie any longer refufed to 
fmg. 

On this fhe grew more obftinate than ever, decla- 
ring that force and authority ihould never fucceed 
with her; that he might make her cry, but that he 
never could make her fmg. The viceroy then fent 
her to priion, where fhe remained twelve days. Du- 
ring which time ilie gave magnificent entertainments 
every day ; paid the debts of all the poor prifoners, 
and diftributed large fums in charity. The viceroy 
was obliged to give up flruggling with her, and fhe 
was at laft fet at liberty amidfi the acclamations of the 
poor. — Luckily for us, fhe is at prefent in good hu- 
mour, and fometimes exerts herfelf to the utm.ofl of 
her power. 

She fays fhe has feveral times been on terms v^^ith 
the m.anagers of our opera, but thinks fhe fhall never 
be able to pluck up refolution enough to go to 

England. What do you think is her reafon ? —It 

is by no means a bad one. She fays fhe cannot com- 
mand her caprice ; but, for the moft part, that it 
comm.ands her ; and that there fhe could have no 
opportunity of indulging it : — For, fays fhe, were I 
to take it into my head not to fmg, I am told the peo- 

B b 3 pie 



374 A Tour through 

pie there would certainly mob me, and perhaps break 
my bones ; — now I like to fleep in a found ikin, al- 
though it fliouid even be in a prifon.— She alleges 
too, that it is not always caprice that prevents her 
from fmging ; but that it often depends upon phyfi- 
cal caufes ; and this indeed I can readily believe : for 
that wonderful flexibility of voice that runs with 
fuch rapidity and neatnefs through the moll minute 
divifions, and produces almofl inftantaneoufly fo great 
a variety of modulation, muft furely depend on the 
very niceft tone of the fibres. And if thefe are in 
the fmalleil degree relaxed, or their elaflicity dimi- 
nifhed ; hov/ is it poffible that their contractions and 
expanfions can fo readily obey the will, as to produce 
thefe effeds ? — The opening of the glottis which 
forms the voice is extremely fmall, and in every 
variety of tone, its diameter mud fuffer a fennble 
chan ;e ; for the fame diameter muft ever produce 
the fame tone : — So wonderfully minute are its con- 
tractions and dilatations, that Dr. Keii, I think, com- 
putes, that in fome voices, its opening, not more than 
the tenth of an inch, is divided into upwards of 1200 
parts, the different found of every one of which is 
perceptible to an exadt ear. Now, what a nice tenfion 
of fibres muft this require ! — I fliould imagine every 
the moft minute change in the air, muft caufe a fen- 
fible difference, and that in our foggy climate the 
fibres would be in danger of lofing this wonderful 
fenfibility ; or at leaft, that they would very often be 
put out of tune. It is not the fame cafe with an or- 
dinary voice ; where the variety of divifions run 
through, and the volubihty with which they are 
executed, bear no proportion to thofe of a Gabri- 
eii,. 

One 



SICILY AND MALTA. 375 

One of the ballets of our opera, is a reprefentation 
©f Vauxhali gardens, and this is the third time I have 
feen Vauxhail brought upon the Italian theatre ; at , 
Turin, at Naples, and here. The gardens are well 
reprefented, and the idea mud have been given by 
fome perfon that had been on the fpot. A variety 
of good Englifh figures are brought in : fome with 
large frizzled wigs flicking half a yard out behind 
their necks ; fome Vv^ith littie cut fcratches, that look 
extremely ridiculous. Some come in cracking their 
whips, v/ith bucklkin breeches and jockey caps. Some 
are armed with great oaken flicks j their hair tied up 
in enormous clubs, and flocks that fwell their necks 
to double the natural fize. But what affords the 
principal part of the entertainment is^ three quakers 
who are duped by three ladies of the town, in concert 
with three jack-tars, their lovers. — Thefe charatlers, 
as you may believe, are much exaggerated, though, 
upon the v/hole, they are fupported with humour, 
and have afforded us a good deal of laughing ; how- 
ever we were hurt to fee the refpedtabie character of 
quakers turned into fuch ridicule ; and as the people 
here were altogether unacquainted with it, we have 
been at fome pains to explain to them the fnnplicity 
and purity of their manners, and the incorruptible 
integrity of their principles. 

Although the Sicilians in general are a good fort of 
people, and fee.m to be endowed v/ith a large fhare 
of philanthropy and urbanity ; yet it muflbe owned 
they have no great affection for their neighbours on 
the continent ; and indeed the diflike is altogether 
reciprocal. — It is fomev/hat fmgular ; I am afraid not 
much for the honour of human nature ; that througli 

B b 4 all 



376 A TOUR THROUGH 

all Europe, the two neighbouring nations have a per- 
petual jarring with each other.— I could heartily 
wifh that v/e had been an exception from this rule ; 
but am forry to fee, from our news-papers^ which 
are fent to the nobihty of this city, that at prefent, 
we are rather the moft diftinguiflied for it ; at lead 
our animofities, if there really are any, make by much 
the greatefl noife of all.' — We have often been aiked 
by foreigners, what was the ground of the mighty 
quarrel, that fuch torrents of the mod ilUberal abufe 
have been poured out by a people fo celebrated for 
liberality of fentiment ; and it is with difficulty we can 
perfuade them, that although from the papers, this 
fometimes appears to be the voice of the nation, yet 
in fad, it is only confmed to a fet of moll worthlefs 
and defpicable incendiaries; like him who fet the 
houfe in a flame, on purpofe to pilfer during the con- 
flagration. — But the abufe that is levelled at the king, 
furprifes them more than all the reft ; and you can- 
not conceive their amazement and indignation when 
we affured them, that notwithftanding all this, he was 
the moft virtuous and benevolent prince on earth. — • 
Then, exclaimed a Sicilian nobleman, you muft cer- 
tainly be the moft damnable people on the globe. — 
I was a good deal ftruck with the fuddennefs of the 
charge ; and it was not without many explanations of 
the liberty of our conftitution, and particularly that 
of the prefs, that I could prevail v/ith him to retra6l 
his fentiments ; and think more favourably of us. — 
Still he infifted, that fo egregious an abufe of this li- 
berty, was only a farther proof of his pofltion ; and 
that there muft be fomething effentially wrong, in a 
nation that could allow of fuch abufe levelled at the 

moft 



SICILY AND MALTA. 377 

moft facred of all characters : the highefl virtue united 
to the highefl flation. We alTured him, that what he 
heard, was only the voice of the mod abandoned and 
profligate wretches in the nation ; who, taking advan- 
tage of the great freedom of the prefs, had often 
made thefe news-papers the vehicles of the mod de- 
teftable fedition. That both the king and queen 
were beloved by all their fubjedls, at leaft by all thofe 
of worth ; — ^that they never were fpoken of but as 
the moft perfe6l model of conjugal union and hap- 
pinefs, as well as of every fecial endowment ; and 
that they could have no enemies, but the enemies of 
virtue. 

However, after all, we could but patch up a peace 
with him. He could not comprehend (he faid) how 
the voice of a few incendiaries fliould be louder than 
the general voice of the nation. — We told him, that 
people who v/ere pleafed commonly held their 
tongue ; and that fedition and libel ever made a grea- 
ter noife than panegyric ; jufl as the fire-bell is rung 
louder, and is more liftened to than the bell for re- 
joicing. 

Adieu. Our pilot fays the wind is not fair, fo 
that poflibly we may flill flay a day or two longer. 

Ever yours. 



37^ 



A TOUR. THROUGH 



LETTER XXXVK. 

Palermo, July igth. 
"^J^ERE I to enter upon the natural hiftory of 
this ifland, it would lead me into a vafc field 
of fpeculation, for which I have neither time nor abili- 
ties : However, a variety of objeds ftruck us as we 
travelled along, that it may not be amifs to give 
you fome little account of. — There are a variety of 
mineral waters, almoft through the whole of Sicily. 
Many of thefe are boiling hot ; others ftiil more 
fmgular, are of a degree of cold fuperior to that of 
ice, and yet never freeze. 

In feveral places, they have fountains that throw 
up a kind of oil on their furface, which is of great 
ufe to the peafants, who burn it in their lamps, and 
ufe it to many other purpofes ; but there is ftill a more 
rem arkable one near Nicofia which is called // fonte 
Canalotto, It is covered with a thick fcum of a kind 
of pitch, which amongft the country people is efleemed 
a fovereign remedy in rheumatic, and many other 
complaints. 

The water of a fmall lake near Nafo is celebrated 
for dying black every thing that is put into it ; and 
this it is faid to perform without the mixture of any 
other ingredient, although the water itfelf is remarka? 
bly pure and tranfparent. 

They have a variety of fulphureous baths, like 
thofe near Naples, where the patient is thrown into 
a profufe fweat, only from the heat of the vapour. 

The 



SICILY AND MALTA. 379 

The moll: celebrated are thofe of Sciaccla, and on 
the mountain of St. Cologero ; not in the neigh- 
bourhood of ^taa, as I expefied, but at a great 
diftance from that mountain. But indeed I am much 
inclined to believe that not only mount ^tna, but the 
greateft part of Sicily, and almofl the whole of the 
circumjacent ifiands, have been originally formed by 
fubterraneous fire ; but I fhall have an opportunity of 
fpeaking more largely on this fubjeft, when I give 
you an account of the country round Naples. 

I have obferved lava^ pumice, and tufa in many- 
parts of Sicily ; at a great diftance from jEtna ; and 
there are a variety both of mountains and valleys 
that ftill emit a hot vapour, and produce fprings of 
boiiino: v/ater. 

o 

. About a mile and a half to the weft of this city, 
at a fmall beach where we often go a fwimming, 
there are many fprings of warm water that rife even 
within the fea, at the depth of five or fix feet. We 
were at hrft a good deal furprifed to find ourfelves 
almoft inftantaneouily both in the hot and cold bath ; 
for at one ftroke we commonly pafTed through the hot 
water, v/hich only extends for a few feet around the 
fpring. It gave us a momentary glow, and produced 
a very odd, uncouth fenfation, by no means an agree- 
able one. I mentioned this fmgularity to feveral gen- 
tlemen here, who tell me they have obferved the 
fame thing. 

Not a great way from this is a celebrated fountain, 
called, // Mar Dolce, where there are fome remains of 
an ancient naumachia ; and in the mountain above 
it they fliew you a cavern, where a gigantic fkeleton 
is faid to have been found : however, it fell to duft 

whexj 



jSo A TOUR THROUGH 

when they attempted to remove ito— Fazzello fay% 
its teeth were the only part that refifted the impref- 
fion of the air ^ .that he procured two of them^ and 
that they weighed near two ounces.— -There are many 
fuch (lories to be met with in the Sicilian legends? 
as it feems to be an univerfal belief, that this ifland 
was once inhabited by giants ; but although we have 
made diligent inquiry, we have never yet been 
able to procure a fight of any of thefe gigantic bones 
which are 'faid to be ftili preferved in many parts 
of the iiiand. Had there been any foundation for 
this, I think it is probable^ they mud have found 
their way into fome of the mufeums ; but this is 
not the cafe; nor indeed have we met with any 
perfon of fenfe and credibility that could fay they 
had feen any of them. We had been aiTured at 
Naples, that an entire ikeleton, upwards of ten feet 
high, was preferved in the mufeum of Palermo ; but 
there is no fuch thing there, nor I believe any where 
elfe in the ifland. This mufeum is well furniflied 
both with antiques and articles of natural hiflory, 
but is not fuperior to v/hat we have feen in many 
other places. 

The number of fouls in Palermo are computed 
at about 150,000. Thofe of the whole iiiand, l>y 
the lad numeration amounted to 1,123,163 ; of 
which number there are about 50,000 that belong 
to the different miOnaderies and religious orders. 
The number of houfes are computed at 268,120, 
w^hich m.akes betwixt five and fix to a houfe. 

The great ftanding commodity of Sicily, which has 
ever conftituted the riches of the ifland, was their 
crops of wheat 5 but they cultivate many other 

branches 



SICILY AND MALTA. 381 

branches of commerce, though none that could bear 
any proportion to this, were it under a free govern- 
ment, and exportation allowed. Their method of 
preferving their grain will appear fomewhat fmguiar 
to our farmers : inflead of expofmg it, as we do, to 
the open air, they are at the greateft pains to exclude 
it entirely from it. — In many places, where the foil 
is dry, particularly near Agrigentum, they have dug 
large pits or caverns in the rock. Thefe open by a 
fmall hole at top, and fwell to a great width below ; 
here they pour down their grain, after it has been 
made exceedingly dry ; and ramming it hard, they 
cover up the hole, to proted it from rain ; and they 
alTure us it will preferve in this manner for many- 
years. 

The Soda is a plant that is much cultivated, and 
turns out to confiderable account. This is the veo:eta- 
ble, that by the action of fire, is afterwards con- 
verted into mirrors and chryftals. Great quantities 
of it are fent every year to fupply>the glafs-houfes at 
Venice. — They have likewife a confidemble trade in 
liquorice, rice, figs,^ raifms, and currants, the befl of 
which grow amongfl the extinguiihed volcanoes of 
the Lipari iflands. Their honey is, I think, the higheil 
flavoured I have ever feen ; in fome parts of the ifland 
even fuperior to that of Minorca ; this is owing no 
doubt, to the quantity of aromatic plants, with which 
this beautiful country is every where overf^^read. This 
honey is gathered three months in the year; July, 
Augufl, and October. It is found by the peafants 
in the hollows of trees and rocks ; and is efreemed 
of a fuperior quality to that produced under the ty- 
ranny of man. — The country of the Leffer Hybia is 

' flill, 



, ' A TOUR THROUGH 

fini, as formerly, the part of the ifland that is mort: 
celebrated for honey. The count Statela made us a 
prefent of fome of it, gathered on his brother the 
Prince of Spaccaforno's eftate, which lies near the 
ruins of that city. 

Sugar is now no article of the Sicilian commerce, 
though a fmall quantity of it is frill manufa£tured 
for home-confumption ; but the plantations of the 
fugar-cane, I am told, thrive well in feveral parts of 
the ifland. 

The juice of liquorice is prepared both here and in 
Calabria, and is fent to the northern countries of 
Europe, where it is ufed for colds. The juice is 
fqueezed out of the roots: after which it is boiled 
to a coniiflenc}^, and formed into cakes, which are 
packed up with bay-leaves in the fame order that 
we receive them. 

In fome of the northern parts of the ifland, I am 
told, they find the ilieil-fiih that produces a kind of 
Hax, of v/hich gloves and flockings are made ; but 
thefe two are found in greater quantities in Ca- 
labria. 

Their plantations of oranges, lemons, bergamots, al- 
monds, &c. produce no inconfiderable branch of com- 
merce. The piilachio-nut too is much cultivated in 
many parts of the ifland, and with great fuccefs. Thefe 
trees, like many others, are male and female: the 
male is called Scornobecco^ and is always barren ; but 
imlefs a quantity of thefe are mixed in every planta- 
tion, the piftachio-tree never bears a nut. But of 
all the variety that is cultivated in Sicily, the manna- 
tree is edeemed the moff; profitable ; it refembles the 
afh, and is I believe of that fpecies. About the be- 

. ginning 



SICILY AND MALTA. 383 

ginning of Auguft, during the feafon of tlie greateft 
heat, they make an incifion in the bark, near to the 
root of the tree ; a thick whitifli liquor is immediately 
difcharged from the wound, which foon hardens iii 
the fun, when it is carefully taken off and gathered 
into boxes. They renew thefe incifions every day 
during the feafon, obferving, however, only to wound 
one fide of the tree ; the other fide they referve for 
the fummer following. 

The cantharides-fly is a Sicilian commodity : it is 
found on feveral trees of j^ltna, whofe juice is fup- 
pofed to have a corrofive or abflerfive quality, par- 
ticularly the pine and the fig-tree ; and I am told the 
cantharides of Mount iEtna are reckoned preferable 
to thofe of Spain. 

The marbles of Sicily would afford a great fource 
of opulence, v/ere there any encouragement to work 
the quarries ; of thefe they have an infinite variety, 
and of the finefh forts. I have feen fome of them 
little inferior to the giall and verd antiqua, that is 
now fo precious. The beautiful yellow columns 
you mufl have obferved in the royal chapel of 
Cafferto are of the firfl kind. They have hkewife 
fome that very much refemble lapis lazuli and por- 
phyry. 

At Centorbi they find a kind of foft flone that 
diffolves in v/ater, and is ufed in wafhing inflead of 
foap, from which property it is called Fietra Saponaro. 
They likewife find here, as well as in Calabria, the 
celebrated flone, which, upon being watered and ex- 
pofed to a pretty violent degree of heat, produces a 
plentiful crop of mufhrooms : — But it would be end- 
lefs to give you an account of all the various com= 

modities 



3^4 A TOUR THROUGH 

modities and curious produdions of this illand ; JEtnt 
alone affords a greater number than many of the moft 
extenfive kingdoms, and is no lefs an epitome of the 
whole earth in its foil and climate, than in the variety 
of its produdions.— Befides the corn, the wine, the 
oil, the filk, the fpice, and delicious fruits, of its 
lower region ; the beautiful forefls, the flocks, the 
game, the tar, the cork, the honey, of its fecond ; 
the fnow and ice of its third ; it affords from its 
caverns a variety of mineral and other productions ^ 
cinnabar, mercury, fulphur, allum, nitre, and vitriol ; 
fo that this wonderful mountain at the fame time 
produces every neceffary and every iuj^ury of life. 

Its firfi: region covers their tables with all the 
delicacies that the earth produces ; its fecond fupplies 
them with game, cheefe, butter, honey ; and not 
only furniihes wood of_every kind for building their 
fhips and houfes, but likev/ife an inexhauftible ftore 
of excellent fewel ; and as the third region, with its 
ice and fnow, keeps them freih and cool during the 
heat of fumnier, fo this contributes equally to keep 
them warm and comfortable during the cold of 
winter. 

Thus, you fee, the variety of climates is not 
confined to ^tna itfelf ; but, in obedience to the 
voice of man, defcends from that mountain ; and 
mingling the violence of their extremes, difFufes the 
moil benign influences all over the ifland, tempering 
each other to moderation^ and foftening the rigours 
of every feafon. 

We are not then to be furprifed at the obflinate 
attachment of the people to this mountain, and that 
all his terrors have not been able to drive them 

awa)" 



SICILY AND MALTA. 385 

^way from him : for although he fometlmes chaf- 
tifes ; yet, like an indulgent parent, he mixes fuch 
bleflings along with his chaftifements, that their 
affections can never be eftranged ; for at the fame 
time that he threatens with a rod of iron, he pours 
down upon them all the bleffmgs of the age of gold. 

Adieu. We are now going to pay our refpeds to 
the viceroy, and make our farewel vifits.- — This cere- 
mony never fails to throw a damp on, my fpirits ; but 
I have feldom found it fo ftrong as at prefent, there 
being little or no probability that we fhall ever fee 
again a number of worthy people we are juft now 
going to take leave of, or that we lhall ever have it 
in our power to make any return for the many civi- 
lities we have received from them. 

Farewel. The wind we are told is fair, and I 
fliall probably be the bearer of this to the continent, 
from whence you may foon exped to hear from^ 
&c. 



LETTER XXXVIII. 

Naples, Auguft ift. 

^^FTER two days delightful failing, we have again 
arrived in this city; where, to our infinite joy, 
we have found all the worthy friends we had left be- 
hind us. This indeed was neceflary, to wipe out the 
imprelTions which the leaving of Sicily had occa- 
fioned. We fhall ftill remain here, at leafl for three 
months, till the feafon of the Mai Aria is entirely 
over. You know the danger of travelling through 

C c the 



386 A TOUR THROUGH 

the Campania during that feafon ; which although 
it is looked upon by many of our learned doctors as 
a vulgar error, yet we certainly fhail not fubmit our- 
felves to the experiment. 

We propofe to pafs the winter at Rome, where we 
fhall probably find occupation enough for four or 
five months.— From thence by Loretto, Bologna, &c. 
to Venice ; the old beaten track. We fhall then leave 
the parched fields of Italy, for the delightful cool 
mountains of Sv/itzerland where liberty and fim- 
plicity, long fmce banifhed from polifhed nations, 
ftill flourifh in their original purity ; wKere the tem- 
perature and moderation of the chmate, and that of 
the inhabitants, are mutually emblematical of each 
other. — ^For whiift other nations are fcorched by the 
heat of the fun, and the ftill more fcorching heats of 
tyranny and fuperftition ; here the genial breezes for 
ever fan the air, and heighten that alacrity and joy 
which liberty and innocence alone can infpire ; — 
here the genial flow of the foul has nev_er yet beeli 
check'd by the idle and ufelefs refinement of art ; but 
opens and expands itfelf to all the calls of affedion 
and benevolence.^ — But I mufl flop. You know my 
old attachment to that primitive country. — It never 
fails to run away with me We propofe then, to 
make this the icene of our fummer pleafures ; and by 
that time, I can forefee, we fhall be heartily tired of 
Art, and fhall begin again to languifh after Nature. 
Jt is fhe alone that can give any real or lafling plea* 
fure, and in all our purfuits of happinefs, if fhe is 
not our guide, we never can attain our end. 

Adieu, my dear friend. You have been our faith- 
ful companion during this Tour, and have not con- 
tributed 



SICILY AND MALTA. 



tributed a little to its pleafure. If it has afforded 
equal entertainment to you, we fhall beg of you full 
to accompany us through the reft of our travels. A 
man muft have a miferable imagination indeed, that 
can be in folitude, whilft he has fuch friends to con- 
verfe with ; the confideration of it foon removes the 
mountains and the feas that feparate us, and produces 
thofe fympathetic feelings which are the only equiva- 
lent for the real abfence of a friend ; for I never fit 
down to write, but I fee you placed on the oppofite 
fide of the table, and fuppofe that we are juft talking 
over the tranfadions of the day. And without your 
prefence to animate me, how is it poffibie that I could 
have had patience to write thefe enormous epiftles ? — 
Adieu. We are foon going to make ibme excurfions 
through the kingdom of Naples : and if they produce 
any thing worthy of your obfervation, we muft beg 
that you will ftill fubmit to be one of the party. 

I ever am, 
Moft fnicerely and affedionately, yours, 

PATRICK BRYDONE. 



FINIS. 



Strahan »nd Prefton, 
Printers -Street, London. 




Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process. 
V"^ <}. " > < Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide 

-„:0 5^ . %, ,^ ^'X^ Treatment Date: jjgQ . ^QOI 



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